For the first time in eight years, the Sacramento State women’s basketball team is in contention for a spot in the postseason.

However, after sweeping a pair of games on the road for the first time ever, against Eastern Washington on Feb. 3 and Portland State on Feb. 5, the Hornets postseason hopes took a hit this weekend with a pair of losses to Weber State and Idaho State.

Sac State has already shown incredible growth this year, so far proving wrong both the pre-season media poll that had them ranked last in the conference and the coaches poll that placed them ahead of just Portland State.

Despite the recent losses, the team remains upbeat and focused on getting to the tournament.

“Our goal all along has been to make the playoffs, and it’s still our goal,” junior forward Lindsey Heard said after the Hornets were blown out at home by Weber State, 74-40. “Like our coach told us, if you lose by one or if you lose by 30, it’s still the same thing.

“But we know we can beat any team in our league, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.”

With five games left in the season, the Hornets (7-15, 3-6) are currently sitting in sixth place in the conference, ahead of both Montana State (7-14, 1-7) and Portland State (2-18, 0-8).

The Hornets have an advantage with three of those games at home, against Northern Arizona, Portland State and Eastern Washington. Of the two games on the road, against Montana and Montana State, Sac State has already beaten Montana State this season.

“We haven’t really talked about tournament position yet,” said Hornets coach Dan Muscatell. “Our goal is to get better every day, first.

“Then we want to win enough games to make it to the conference tournament, so that we have a chance to play for the big prize, the NCAA tournament.

The team already has more wins than in the previous four seasons combined, and at 3-5 in the conference, the team is only one win short of tying it’s best Big Sky Conference record.However, for some of the Hornets, it’s still not enough.

“I’m never comfortable. I don’t want to be right on the borderline. We need to go and get some more wins,” said Tyeisha Brown, the team leader in scoring.

Brown averages 11 points per game.

Junior forward Ashley Cadotte, a transfer from Clackamas Community College, says that she is proud of the team’s progress.

“Our team has a lot of fight,” Cadotte said. “I don’t think that losing is ever going to wear us down, it’s only going to make us stronger and have a better game.”

She also is confident that the team will make the playoffs.

“I don’t have any doubt that we are going to go to the playoffs,” Cadotte said. “I would like to get a few more wins and finish off the conference strong going into the tournament, but I have no doubt that we’ll be there.”

Regardless of how the team’s season concludes, Muscatell says that the season has been a success.

“I’m proud of our team,” Muscatell said. “We’re talking about sweeping road trips and coming home and losing tough games. I don’t know what the team thinks, but I think that this is a sign of the growth of the program.

“I know that I see this team get better on a daily basis.”