SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State scored a season-high four goals to pick up its second straight Big Sky victory, defeating the visiting Eastern Washington Eagles, 4-2, Sunday at Hornet Field. 

With the win, the Hornets have now won back-to-back matches for the first time this year to improve to 3-8-2 overall and 2-3 in Big Sky action. Eastern Washington drops to 5-9 overall and 3-3 against the league. 

Things developed quickly on Sunday as Sacramento State took an early 1-0 lead in just the 4th minute thanks to a goal by Samantha Craig. After receiving a short pass from Abigail Lopez, Craig showed off her big leg, driving one into the back of the net from more than 25 yards out. 

The goal was the third of the year for the senior midfielder, a new career high. She scored twice in her debut season with the Hornets in 2019. 

Sacramento State wasn't done, however, as Jordan Goularte doubled the Hornets lead with the first goal of her career, a sharp 44th minute score to put her team up, 2-0. Working off a quick pass from Jassica Mann, Goularte split two defenders, finding herself one-on-one with Eastern Washington's keeper, Kelsee Winston, and beating her with a low shot to the far corner. 

With all of the momentum seemingly on their side, Sacramento State opened the second half with a push into the Eagles' box, but a quick counter from Eastern Washington suddenly turned the tide. Fewer than two minutes into the second half, the Eagles found the back of the net for the first time, taking advantage of a loose ball in the box after a save by Sacramento State's Mia Shalit. 

With the lead cut to just one, the Hornets were able to answer, pushing the lead back to two with a goal by Jasmyne Dunn in the 62nd minute, the first of her career.

The play began after a brilliant take away by midfielder Julia Herrera. After working toward the top of the box, Herrera let rip a shot that was blocked by a sliding Eagles defender. The ricochet found the feet of Dunn, who after making two Eagles defenders miss, found herself in space just inside the 18. Her shot went low and to the near side post, out of reach of the diving Eastern Washington keeper. 

Dunn's 62nd minute score was the first of her career and proved to be her first ever game-winner, as the Eagles managed to score their second in the 84th. 

That 84th minute goal for the Eagles came amid a flurry of Eastern Washington attacks as the Eagles searched desperately for the equalizer. 

The dagger came just moments later, however, as Ele Avery scored her third goal of the year and her second in as many matches in the 86th minute, putting things out of reach for the Eagles and sealing the win for the Hornets. 

Avery's goal was an incredible show of speed and ball control as, after putting a brilliant move on her defender at midfield, she simply outran the Eagles defense on her way into the box. She finally let the shot fly from just inside the 18, going low and to her left and past Winston for the game's final goal. 

Sacramento State's four goals on Sunday was a season-high for the team, passing its previous high of three (Sept. 5 vs. Nevada). The Hornets attempted 11 shots, two fewer than the Eagles' 13, but placed nine of their 11 shots on goal compared to Eastern Washington's eight. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Mia Shalit saved six of those eight shots and earned her second win in as many starts. 

Sacramento State led in corner kicks, 4-3, and were whistled for fouls 12 times compared to just three for the Eagles. 

The two-match homestand was good to the Hornets, who now take their talents back on the road for a pair of Big Sky matchups next week at Weber State and at Idaho State. The first of those two matches is Friday afternoon against the Wildcats. Kickoff in Ogden, Utah is set for 2 p.m. PT and the match will stream live online on ESPN+ with live stats at HornetStats.com. As always, links to everything women's soccer can be found online at the Sacramento State women's soccer schedule page at HornetSports.com.