Sophomore Fred Amey accounted for 275 yards of total offense.

With the victory, the Aggies improved to 4-1. The Hornets dropped to 1-4.

UC Davis took the opening kickoff and returned it to near midfield. From that point, the Aggies methodically moved down the field culminating in a 6-yard touchdown run by Massari to put UCD on top, 7-0.

Sacramento State attempted to respond on its first possession. The Hornets moved the ball down to the UC Davis 13-yard line but Bret LeVier’s 30-yard field goal attempt was wide left.

After taking over on the 20-yard line, UC Davis used an eight-play, 59-yard drive to add to its lead on a 38-yard field goal from sophomore Dusty Apocotos.

The Aggies pushed their lead to 17-0 with 10:18 left in the first half. On the play Dan Elbanna went straight up the middle to block Paul Kerr’s punt. The ball was scooped up by Michael Penna at the 10-yard line and he walked into the end zone for a touchdown.

Sacramento State had a chance to get on the board midway through the second quarter when Noel Taueetia forced a fumble which was recovered at the 22-yard line by Tyler Padovan. The Hornets, however, surrendered a sack on their first play and the drive ended when LeVier missed a 40-yard field goal to the left.

The Hornets rebounded with 47 seconds left in the first half when Garrett White ran 7 yards up the middle on a fake field goal for the team’s first touchdown. LeVier added the extra point to make the score 17-7.

Neither team was able to move the ball on their first possession of the second half. After Sacramento State stopped UC Davis on fourth down, the Hornets moved the ball into Aggie territory but the drive ended when B.J. Brust sacked Ryan Leadingham forcing a fumble. Justin Patterson collected the loose ball and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown to give UCD a 24-7 lead with 7:26 left in the third quarter.

The Hornets pulled closer with a pair of touchdowns. The first score came on a hook-and-lateral for a 48-yard touchdown. Ryan Leadingham began the play with an 11-yard pass to Kenan Smith who then tossed the ball to Garrett White who ran down the sideline 27 yards for the score.

The second touchdown came at the start of the fourth quarter when Fred Amey returned a punt 90 yards to make the score, 24-21. The punt return was the first for a touchdown by Sacramento State since Alex Estrada covered 74 yards against Cal State Northridge on Nov. 18, 1995.

UC Davis added some cushion to its lead with 11:38 left in the fourth quarter on a 15-yards pass from Flannigan to tight end Joe Bandel. The Aggies added a second fourth-quarter TD on another 15-yard pass from Flannigan to Kevin Freeman to make the score, 38-21, with 8:59 left.

Leadingham ended the night 21-for-43 with 265 yards. The sophomore was also intercepted twice. Amey led the Hornet receiving corps with seven receptions for 95 yards. White concluded the game with 16 carries for 72 yards.

The Sacramento State defense was paced by Jason Rowell with seven tackles (five solo, two assists).

UC Davis was guided by Flannigan who was 14-for-20 for 229 and a pair of touchdowns.

Sacramento State returns to Big Sky Conference action next Saturday, Oct. 12, when they travel to Flagstaff, Ariz., to take on Northern Arizona.

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