Sacramento State’s women’s soccer team was defeated 3-2 by Portland State in the first Big Sky Conference game of the season Friday at Hornet Field.

Portland State (5-6) led 2-0 at halftime, but two quick goals by Sac State’s Jordan Carlberg and Jordyn Rolling tied the score less than six minutes into the second period.

Portland State prevented the comeback when forward Megan Martin took a long shot from the center to score the winning goal just over a minute after Sac State’s second goal.

Martin scored all three goals for Portland State, the first two coming within three minutes of each other midway through the first half.

Sac State kept Portland State’s goalkeeper Lainey Hulsizer busy with 20 shots, 16 on goal. Hulsizer had 14 saves. One of these saves that secured Portland State’s victory was a swat away with her right palm of a ball that looked poised to go in during the first half. If the Hornets had scored, it would have tied the game 1-1.

Martin’s second first-half goal took the life out of what had been an aggressive Hornets offense.

Sac State controlled the flow and kept the ball on its offensive side of the field throughout much of the second half.

“I think our halftime talk was really important to us because we kind of found a way to get back in the game because our heads kind of left it after we got scored on,” Rolling said. “So, our mentality coming into the second half was just ‘get a goal, get a goal.’ And that’s what we did and we got one and momentum carried us and we got another one.”

Sac State head coach Randy Dedini said that Portland State played a direct style of play, with long, aggressive passes and shots, instead of setting up the offense.

“Their first two goals were just goals that were kind of over the top not handled properly by our backline and goalkeeper.” Dedini said. “And sometimes direct teams that play ugly find a way to win, and I think that’s what they did.”

Dedini said Sac State didn’t put enough pressure on Portland State servers during the first half and that made a difference.

“I clearly thought we were the better team and would show it, but they found a way to win and that’s what you do in conference,” Dedini said, “It doesn’t matter what you look like, how you play, its finding a way to win, so you got to give them credit.”

Katie McMillin can be reached at [email protected].