OGDEN, Utah -- Sacramento State played close with the defending Big Sky Conference champions Weber State, but fell in four sets , 23-25, 25-10, 25-16, 25-23, on Saturday afternoon at Swenson Gym.

The Hornets, playing the fourth leg of a season-long stretch of six straight matches away from home, dropped to 5-7 overall and 0-2 in the Big Sky. The Hornets, who lost in five sets at Idaho State on Thursday, have lost their first two conference matches for the first time since 2014.

Weber State is the defending Big Sky regular season and tournament champions, and was unanimously selected to finish first in the conference's preseason coaches poll. The Wildcats improved to 7-5 overall, and 2-0 in league which included a four-set win over Portland State on Thursday night.

Things looked good early on when a Kalani Hayes kill gave the Hornets a 25-23 victory in the first set. However, the Wildcats responded by winning the next two sets with relative ease as Sacramento State combined for just 18 kills between the second and third frames. The Hornets nearly clawed all the way back from a 16-11 deficit in the fourth, but after a Bridgette Smith kill drew the team within, 24-23, a kill from Weber State's Rylin Adams ended the match.

Weber State held advantages over the Hornets in kills (52-43), hitting percentage (.233-.075), assists (51-39), aces (10-3) and digs (76-72). Usually a very good serving team, the three aces for the Hornets tied a season low.

Sacramento State had six players finish between five and 10 kills, and four players finish with at least 13 digs. Defensively, it was libero Caty Cordano who played very well, leading all players with 22 digs, and committing zero reception errors. Both outside hitter Bridgette Smith (10 kills, 17 digs) and setter McKenna Smith (22 assists, 13 digs) posted double-doubles, and outside hitter Macey Hayden had 13 digs to go along with six kills.

Bridgette Smith was the only Hornet with double figures in kills, but middle blocker Cianna Andrews had a very productive match. Andrews, who has battled multiple injuries all season, played the final two sets and responded with six kills, a 1.000 hitting percentage and four blocks. Hayes added seven kills, a .312 hitting percentage and four blocks.

Rightside hitters Karlee Soderberg (7 kills, 3 blocks) and Ellie Tisko (5 kills, 4 digs) combined for 12 kills.

For Weber State, Adams was a one-woman show on offense, accounting for 23 of the team's 52 kills while also tallying two aces, 12 digs and two blocks. She hit .309 and constantly came up with big kills when the Wildcats needed them. Dani Nay had five of the Wildcats' 10 aces.

Sacramento State concludes its season-long six-game stretch away from home with two more Big Sky matches next week. That includes Thursday at Eastern Washington (6 p.m.) and Saturday at Idaho (1 p.m.).