Sacramento State’s women’s soccer team got off to a winning start to the Big Sky season with a 1-0 win over two-time defending champion Weber State Thursday in Ogden, Utah.

The lone goal came in the 11th minute when seniors Maggie Murphy and Kelly Novak hooked up on a cross. Murphy played the ball to the right side where Novak was waiting. The goal was Novak’s second of the season, both of which have come in the last three games. Murphy was credited with the assist, her third of the season.

Weber State forward Linsey McFarland, the second leading goal-scorer in the Big Sky with six, was shut down on the afternoon, failing to record a single shot. McFarland is second only to Sac State’s Kayelyn Satkowski, who has seven.

The Wildcats outshot the Hornets 13-12 in the game, but were unable to get anything past the Sac State defense. Weber State was only able to get off one shot to Sac State’s seven in the second half.

Sac State sophomore goalie Jenny Lawrence, who has regained the starting job after being benched earlier in the year, recorded the shutout. Lawrence made five saves in the game.

Freshman midfielder Beverly Goebel was busy on the offensive end, attempting four shots, three of which were on goal. Both were game highs. Goebel scored the game winner in Sunday’s double overtime 2-1 win against Cal Poly.

Weber State accounted for the only loss for the Hornets during the regular season last year as the Hornets finished with a 4-1-1 record.

Sac State improved to 7-5-1, 1-0-0 on the year while Weber fell to 5-5-2, 0-1-0. Sac State next travels to Pocatello for a showdown with conference opponent Idaho State (4-7-0, 0-1-0) on Saturday at noon.