After winning their first home game in nearly three years, the Sacramento State Hornets entered Saturday’s game against UC Davis looking to establish a winning streak.

Unfortunately, the Hornet’s shooting went streaky and the Aggies beat Sac State 58-50 on the strength of center Ellen Porshneva’s 17 points and eight rebounds.

“Porshneva got 17, but she had to work for everything that she got, and that’s what we were trying to force her to do,” head coach Dan Muscatell said. “When someone can score, you are not going to completely shut them down, but you just have to make them work for everything they get.”

Despite an early lead and two near-comebacks in the second half, the Hornets (1-2) simply couldn’t make shots and free throws they needed to beat the Aggies (1-2) in the first of the team’s two games this year. The teams pick up the rivalry again Jan. 26.

Missed shots were the biggest problem for Sac State, as the team shot only 26 percent from the floor and only 18.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Hornets made just 16 of 27 attempts from the charity stripe.

The Hornets were led by junior center Katelyn Ciampi’s 13 rebounds and were given a spark off the bench by guards sophomore Stephanie Cherry and senior Tyeisha Brown. Cherry scored 13 points in only 11 minutes, while Brown also scored 13 points with two assists and two steals.

“A lot of our shots just weren’t falling and we were getting some open looks,” Cherry said.

“I thought we were getting decent shots with the people we wanted to get those shots, and we just didn’t knock them down,” head coach Dan Muscatell said.Brown said that the solution is simply hard work.

“We just have to keep working at it. It’s the only way you can get consistent.”

During the first half, both teams played extremely close, with the Aggies leading by only three at the half 24-21, despite the Hornets shooting only 28.6 percent.

Coming out of the locker room, Sac State allowed Davis to establish control of the game with an 18-7 run, putting the Aggies up 42-28. However, the Hornets fought back and cut the lead to three points on the strength of two baskets from Cherry and two 3-point baskets from Brown. The lead was further cut to two points following a pair of free throws by junior guard Cindy Alldrin, who scored nine points for the Hornets.

However, Sac State just couldn’t get it done as junior center Ashley Cadotte missed two critical free throws and sophomore guard Kim Sheehy missed a lay-in that would have tied the game with less than two minutes to go. Davis held on down the stretch, making seven straight free throws to secure the victory.

“All I know is there is a lot fight in our team,” Brown said. “All you can do is shake this off, and put on your hard hat, and get your lunch pail and be ready to dig it out.”

The early returns this season, though, are good. 10 of the Hornets 17 players, including three of the Hornets five starters are new to the program.

“We are a work in progress. But this team will play hard, which we showed tonight, and they will stick together. And they will make a pretty good basketball team,” Muscatell said. “Let’s never forget that this team is trying to overcome a history that is not very good. They understand that. They know that. And it’s part of the reason that I like this team so much.”

Despite some well-executed game plans, something the Hornets have had trouble doing in the past, Sac State has lacked some of the breaks needed to win.

“Nobody like to lose, certainly coaches the least, and we’ve been on the wrong end of a couple. Putting together a group of eight or nine kids, mixing them with the new kids that we have, this team has come together,” Muscatell said. “I like it. I think this team can be very good.”

The loss deals another blow to the Hornet hope for winning the inaugural Causeway Cup. The Cup standings are now 35-10 in favor of the Aggies, the only Sac State points coming in Hornet volleyball’s 3-0 dismantling of Davis back on Oct. 26.

The Hornets next game is at Cal Poly on Friday, followed by St. Mary’s on Sunday.