The Sacramento State women’s soccer team opened Big Sky conference play with a win at home versus the University of Montana Friday. The Hornets shut out the Grizzlies 3-0 in regulation.

With the win, Sac State’s record improves to 4-6-1 overall and 1-0-0 in conference play. As for Montana, their record now sits at 1-9-2 overall and 0-1-0 in conference.

It took just two minutes into the second half for the Hornets to score on the Grizzlies as sophomore Jordan Carlberg received a timely assist from teammate Kelsey O’Donnell off a rebound in front of the goal.

The two would team up again for Sac State’s second goal of the game, but this time it would be Carlberg assisting O’Donnell in the 64th minute. O’Donnell received the pass square in front of the goal box to earn her second goal of the season.

The final score came with less than two minutes remaining in the game, as Junior Caitlin Pulver rocketed the ball past Grizzly goal keeper Kendra McMillan from 30 yards just to the left of the center spot on the field.

Carlberg said the help from O’Donnell on her third goal of the season boosted her belief in her game play.

“I felt confident today. I think that has been my problem the whole season,” Carlberg said. “I haven’t felt confident. So I just had to start thinking that “I can do it, I can do it,'”

O’Donnell said the week break after losing two straight games in the Seattle University tournament back on Sept. 24 made the team focus on winning.

“I think it was good to have the week off and for us to rest our legs because Seattle was a tough weekend,” O’Donnell said. “But we had a really good practice last week and felt really good coming into this game.”

Head coach Randy Dedini said the team needs to take in the win over Montana but then quickly regroup for Eastern Washington on Sunday.

“We can’t spend too much time thinking about this game that we just won. We need to come into this game hungry,” Dedini said. “We know from the last few years that every game is huge and there is not a moment that we can relax in conference. Because the moment you relax, you get stung.”

On Sunday at 1 p.m. Sac State will host Eastern Washington at Hornet field.

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]