DAVIS, Calif. – Sacramento State scored just 67 seconds into the game and held a 1-0 lead into the late stages of the first half before UC Davis found an equalizer in the 37th minute and scored the eventual game-winning goal in the second half in a 2-1 Causeway Cup final on Monday in Davis.

The loss came in the season opener for Sacramento State while UC Davis, which played last Friday, improved to 1-1. The Hornets created several scoring chances in the second half but were unable draw back even.

"I saw some great things from our girls," Sacramento State head coach Randy Dedini said. "They played with a lot of passion and heart and left it all out on the field. There are definitely things we need to do better and left a lot of opportunities out there, but if we can play with that kind of passion and continue to improve and learn from our mistakes we're going to be a pretty good team."

The game could not have started any better than it did for Sacramento State. A foul was called just alongside the box to the right of the UC Davis goal, and junior Maggie Pleis took the free kick from 10 yards out. Her shot hit an Aggie defender and deflected into the goal with just one minute and seven seconds played.

The early goal turned out to be the only shot of the half for the Hornets. UC Davis tallied 10 shots in the opening period, placing three on goal. The Aggies were able to even the score in the 37th minute when senior Sienna Drizin met a cross from Nicole Bouvia and finished inside the near post.

The scoring chances were more even in the second half but the Aggies struck in the 62nd minute off a free kick from Ana Marija Sola and a one-time finish inside the box from freshman Riley Marshall.

In the 83rd minute Hornet junior Jennifer Lum took a shot in stride running at the Aggie goal but was denied on a strong stop from goalkeeper Alexis Smith. With three minutes remaining in regulation the Hornets created a pair of corner kicks taken by Pleis but could not get another try on goal.

Redshirt freshman Destiny Butcher made three saves in her first collegiate game while Smith got the win while making only one save. The shot count was 13-3 in favor of the Aggies for the game but just 3-2 in the second half, and UC Davis had a 4-0 edge in corner kicks in the first half but the Hornets had a 4-1 advantage in the second half.

Sacramento State plays another road game at 7 p.m. Friday at Pacific before its home opener against San Jose State on Sunday at 1 p.m.