In the team’s home opener, sophomore Jack Jones wasted little time recording the Hornets first goal on home soil. The Placerville, Calif., native registered his first career score in the second minute with a 15 -yard blast to the far post. Senior Eliot Ricks-Chambers beat Valparaiso goalkeeper Ryan Schwarz one-on-one, only to be denied by the post. Gathering the deflection, Ricks-Chambers laid off the ball to Jones, who unleashed a shot to the upper corner.

Jones then scored what proved to be the game winner in the 63rd minute. Receiving a pass from midfielder Josh Zimbrich, Jones placed a low driven shot toward the Crusaders’ goal that deflected off a defender and hit the back of the net.

For Sacramento State (1-3-0), the victory marked its first of the season, while handing Valparaiso (3-1-0) its first loss.

After Jones’ early score in the first half, sophomore goalkeeper Nick Gargiulo – in his first start of the season – made eight saves in the first 45 minutes. The 2005 Jesuit High School graduate denied Valparaiso in the 17th minute, coming off his line with a diving stop on Jon Brighton.

The Hornets narrowly missed a scoring opportunity with just seconds remaining in the first half when a header from freshman Zlatan Kuckovic just cleared the crossbar.

The second half saw four goals and a total of 17 fouls. Valparaiso tied the game in the 51st minute when a cross from J.J. Eschenburg found D.J. Catrow. With a one-time low shot to the near post, the Crusaders recorded the equalizer.

Sacramento State quickly answered, scoring the go-ahead goal just three minutes later. After earning a corner, the ball deflected out to Zimbrich. The Loomis, Calif., native sized up a bending shot at the top of the box, beating Schwarz to the upper corner of the net in the 54th minute.

With a 2-1 lead, the Hornets had to play the final 34 minutes of the match with 10 men after Pedro Lupercio was issued a red card.

Sacramento State still capitalized despite being a man down, with Jones scoring the game winner in the 63rd.

Valparaiso again came within a goal when D.J. Catrow recorded his second score in the 64th minute.

Sacramento State freshman Shelby Johnson, a 2006 graduate of Natomas High School, received his first start of the season on the back line with experienced veterans Utodi Madu, Adam Owens and Jesse Manton.

The Hornets next play UC Riverside at 4 p.m. on Friday at Hornet Soccer Field as part of the Saint Mary’s Tournament. The team will then play Bowling Green in Moraga, Calif., on Sunday in the second match of the tourney.