The loss means that Weber State (12-4-1, 5-1-0) claims the Big Sky Conference regular season championship and the right to host the postseason tournament. It is the second time in the last three seasons the Wildcats have hosted the tournament, with the Weber State advancing to the NCAA College Cup just a year ago.

The Hornets finish the regular season 8-7-3 overall and 4-1-1 in conference, earning the second place spot in the postseason tournament. Sacramento State will play the No. 3 seed, still yet to be determined, at the tournament which begins Thursday, Nov. 3.

It is the first time the program has advanced to the Big Sky postseason tournament since 2001 and the team’s eight victories are the most since 2000. The Hornets’ 4-1-1 conference record is also a program best.

Sacramento State trailed 2-1 at halftime after Lindsay Davis scored in the fourth minute and Rochelle Hoover scored one of her three goals in the match during the 35th minute for the Wildcats. Sophomore midfielder Katie Burton scored her first goal of the season in the final minute of the first half to cut the Wildcats’ lead in half and put Sacramento State on the scoreboard.

Weber State then put things out of reach in the second half with two additional goals from Hoover in the 53rd and 72nd minutes.

Weber State outshot Sacramento State 24-14, forcing freshman goalkeeper Jenny Lawrence to make 13 saves. The Hornets’ leading scorer, sophomore Katie McCoy, led Sacramento State with four shots, while Hoover led the Wildcats with eight, resulting in her three goals.

In 2004 the Hornets finished last in the Big Sky with a record of 1-5 and were predicted to place seventh (last) in the Big Sky Coaches’ poll at the beginning of this year.

Second-year head coach Katie Poynter and assistant coach Randy Dedini have guided the Hornets to their first above .500 season since 2000. The team came into the year with the second-ranked recruiting class in the Big Sky by Soccer Buzz Magazine, with three members of that class - midfielder Sarah Howard, defender Kara Taylor and Lawrence - starting in the majority of the team’s matches.

The Hornets’ six-match unbeaten streak and five-game winning streak were also snapped with the loss to Weber State. The unbeaten streak was a new program record and the win streak marked the program’s best effort since its inaugural season in 1994.