The women?s soccer team improved to 3-1 in the Big Sky Conference with two home wins against Montana, previously undefeated, and Portland State over the weekend. There are now 8-3-2 overall and on track to host the Big Sky Playoffs at the end of the month.

“It?s very nice to win back to back home games… especially two conference games,” head coach Sandra Asimos said. “We are looking individually at each game in the conference and looking to win each game which is what happened this weekend.”

Sunday saw the Hornets shut out the Portland State Vikings 3-0 while recording 34 shots on goal. Despite early domination which included three shots hitting the woodwork, Sac State did not get on the scoreboard until the 41st minute. Krissy Collyer put the Portland defense under pressure and the ball broke to Lisa Wrightsman who prodded it past the keeper from six yards. Wrightsman scored again after 59 minutes – her third goal of the weekend.

Following a corner from the left, the ball bounced around the Portland penalty box before Stacy Rowell headed it onto Wrightsman, who in turn flicked it past Lori Scheider in the Vikings? goal. Rowell also played a part in the final goal of the game seven minutes later. The defender took a free kick from inside her own half and found Lori Kerswell open outside Portland State?s box. Kerswell brought the ball through before lobbing it over the advancing keeper.

Asimos was understandably pleased with the performance.

“To outshoot the other team by that amount (34 to 4) is very nice. It?s been our pattern to attack this season more than others and it is working out well for us.”

A well-taken goal by Wrightsman five minutes into the first period of overtime had given Sac State a 3-2 victory over Montana on Friday. It was Montana?s first loss in the conference and ended their run of five consecutive shut-outs. “It was a big win for us,” Asimos said. “It means that we now have a good chance of hosting the playoffs here.”

Versus Montana, Sac State got on the scoreboard with their first shot of the game after 11 minutes. Kerswell produced an excellent right-footed effort from 22 yards that sailed past the Grizzlies? keeper and into the top left corner of the net. Asimos described Kerswell?s effort as “a pure goal” and “of excellent quality.”

The Hornets made it 2-0 ten minutes before half-time. Good work on the left wing by Kerswell and Summer Douglas produced a cross into the box which Lisa Casey ran onto and lobbed over the keeper.

Sac State appeared to be in total control of the match at the beginning of the second half. However Montana?s Amy Wronski scored to make it 2-1 after 57 minutes.

The Grizzlies equalized twenty minutes later. A pass by Kerri Houck found Heather Olsen just inside the box and although Amy Seely got a hand to the shot she couldn?t stop the ball from sneaking into the bottom right-hand corner.

“I just told them that we needed to play tough,” Asimos said when asked what she had said before overtime began. “We had 30 minutes to go out and win the game.”

They only needed five. A wonderful turn by Naomi Ennis in the center of the field gave her the time and space to pick out Wrightsman on the edge of the box. As the goalkeeper advanced, Wrightsman coolly slotted the ball home from eight yards into the far corner. It was a fitting end to what had been a very exciting game.

The Hornets go on the road this weekend when they face Northridge hoping to maintain their recent form in the conference.