Sacramento State played two Big Sky Conference games on their home field this weekend, but was unable to finish either game with a win. The Hornets were shutout 1-0 by Eastern Washington University on Friday, and received a 2-0 mauling from the University of Montana Grizzlies on Sunday.

Friday’s game against the Eagles began with a bang. Eight minutes into the contest, the Hornets’ Katie DeClercq nearly knocked in a five-yard chip over Eagle goalkeeper Jonna Melton.

“There’s a lot of skillful and individually talented players here at Sac State, especially (in the forwards),” Eagles head coach George Hageage said. “They like to run, so the whole idea was to not give them that space behind (our defense).”

In the 10th minute, the Eagles’ Jennie Summers tucked away a point-blank goal off a cross from teammate Beth Russell. The goal sealed the fate of the Hornets, who were unable to respond.

“We played the same as always,” Hornet head coach Karen Hanks said. “At the end we went a little more direct (toward the goal), but we got nothing.”

Linda Sanchez led Sac State with four shots. DeClercq, Kelly Law, Kara Narimatsu and Mandi Siller had one shot each, but DeClercq’s shot was the only one directed on goal.

The Hornets’ Michelle Balzouman recorded seven saves, while Melton’s day was relatively slow, having to work for only one save.

Against Montana, Sac State nearly scored two minutes into the contest when DeClercq drove the ball up field and passed to Courtney Gorham, who narrowly missed a close-range shot.

In the 42nd minute, Grizzly forward Tammy Hartung broke through Sac State’s defense and sent the ball screaming towards the net. Hornet goalkeeper Amy Seely dove to her left, knocking the ball away and preventing the Grizzlies from scoring in the first half.

“The ball rolled on the ground. It was pretty quick and it got me a little nervous,” Seely said. “It was a well paced ball and I pushed so hard to get there. I got to slam it back in her face.”

The second half belonged to the Grizzlies. In the 58th minute Saraid Faville drove past Hornet defenders and planted the ball squarely into the net. In the 71st minute, Hartung enacted revenge on Seely, knocking in the final goal of the contest.

Sac State had a final opportunity to reduce the Grizzlies’ lead when forward Lisa Wrightsman ditched her defenders and closed in on Montana’s goal with only seconds remaining.

Grizzly goalkeeper Sarah Braseth smothered the ball just as Wrightsman got off a shot, handing the Hornets their second-straight shutout.

“We played real well in the first half,” Hanks said. “The second half we made a couple mistakes, and they capitalized on our mistakes. That was the biggest difference. We didn’t capitalize.”

Montana outshot Sac State 15-8, and the Hornets again only tallied one shot on goal, compared to the Grizzlies’ eight.

Hilaree Guay and Jaymie Kocer led the Hornets in shots with two each, followed by Wrightsman and Gorham who had one apiece. Seely pulled down eight saves, while the Grizzlies’ Braseth recorded six and secured the shutout.

“I felt I had a pretty good game,” Seely said. “I really tried to play hard, and I think I played really well with my teammates. The defenders out there worked great for me, and I think everyone stepped up today. I was really impressed. You saw a little bit of fire in people which we haven’t seen in a couple games.”

The Montana game marked the sixth match in which the Hornets were held scoreless, and was only the fourth game that Sac State lost by more than one point.

Although the Hornets are 0-4 in the Big Sky, they remain a respected team among opposing coaches.

Betsy Duerkson, who has coached the Grizzlies to a 2-1 record in the Big Sky this year, sympathizes with the Hornets’ losing record.

“They put up a good fight considering they’ve only won one game on the year,” Duerkson said. “They still came out really tough and feisty, which is hard to do if you get this late in the season and you haven’t won too many games. You’d think they might have low morale, but they were fighting and scrapping, which I congratulate them for. And (Wrightsman) is one hell of a player.”

Sac State will go on to play at Idaho State on Friday at 2 p.m. They will host Weber State on Sunday at Hornet Soccer Field at 1 p.m. for their final conference game of the season.