SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With just 58 seconds left in the second overtime Northern Colorado's Mariel Gutierrez sent a free kick through traffic and into the Hornet goal to give the visiting Bears a 2-1 win over the Hornets.

Less than a minute away from at least a draw, the loss drops Sacramento State (5-10-0, 3-4-0 Big Sky) below .500 in league play with three regular season games remaining. Northern Colorado (10-6-0, 5-1-0 Big Sky) remained tied for second place in the conference table.

Both Northern Colorado goals in the game came off set pieces after Hornet fouls though the Bears had 15 fouls called in the game while the Hornets were whistled only seven times. The difference was the placement of the fouls that the Bears were able to capitalize on.

In the 48th minute, Sacramento State freshman Caitlin Prothe collided with a UNC player going for a ball just inside the Hornet 18-yard box. Though Prothe was injured on the play the foul was called against her and the Bears were awarded a penalty kick. Senior Essence Ortiz-Laneir took the PK and put it home to the right side of the Hornet goal.

The Hornets had the run of play for most of the second half and overtime and found an equalizer in the 67th minute. Sophomore Kayla Collins played a deep ball into the box and junior Kassidy Kellogg outran a Bear defender and beat the charging keeper to the ball for a finish to the far post.

Sacramento State had four shots on goal in the second half but couldn't find a winner. Neither team got many good looks in the first overtime, but in the second Kellogg was denied on one shot and missed another just wide on a good look on goal.

The late foul blown against the Hornets occurred just to the left of the penalty area about 15 yards off the goal line, and Gutierrez sent the ball towards several bodies in front of the Hornet goal but nobody got a touch on it as it snuck inside the far post.

In her first start as a Hornet junior goalkeeper Molly McConnell, filling in for injured netminder Destiny Butcher, made four strong saves and wasn't remotely at fault for either Northern Colorado goal. For the Bears sophomore Madeline Burdick totaled six saves in the win.

The overall shot count finished even at 15 apiece while the Hornets were 7-6 in shots on goal. Collins and Kellogg each had three shots to lead the Hornets with Kellogg and junior Lydia Bowman each placing two shots on goal. UNC's Brooke Braden led all players in the game with five shots but did not put one on frame.

Sacramento State was less than a minute away from what could have been its first tie in more than two years, but the team's streak of tieless games is now 41 dating bating to September 2013.

The Hornets look to rebound on Sunday hosting North Dakota with an early 10:30 a.m. start time. Presley Strother, Sacramento State's lone graduating senior, will be honored prior to the game.