OGDEN, Utah. - Sacramento State knocked off two-time defending Big Sky champion Weber State, 1-0, in both teams'' conference opener on Thursday afternoon at Wildcat Soccer Field.
In the 11th minute, senior forward Kelly Novak received a cross from senior Maggie Murphy, and hit a one-time volley past Wildcat goalkeeper Rebecca Ritchie.
Sacramento State improves to 7-5-1 on the season and an undefeated 1-0 in the Big Sky, while Weber State falls to 5-5-2 and 0-1 in league.
Weber State has won the conference title the past two seasons, including reaching the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2005.
The Wildacts were the only Big Sky team to defeat the Hornets a year ago in conference play, as Sacramento State finished second in the standings with a program-best 4-1-1 record.
Weber State outshot Sacramento State 12-5 in the first half, but the Hornet defense responded in the second half, holding the Wildcats to one shot. Sacramento State also held Weber State’s leading goal scorer, Linsey McFarland shotless on the afternoon.
Goalkeeper Jenny Lawrence earned her second win this season, making five saves.
Under third-year head coach Katie Poynter, the team is only two wins shy of matching the program’s largest single-season win total of nine, a feat accomplished in the 1994, 1998 and 2000 seasons.
For Novak, the goal was her second this season and ninth of her career. For Murphy, a second team all-Big Sky honoree in 2005, the assist was the 10th of her career, ranking fifth in program history.
Sacramento State continues Big Sky Conference play on the road at Idaho State on Saturday.
