IRVINE, Calif. -- After playing to a scoreless draw after the first 45 minutes, host UC Irvine netted the eventual game-winner in the 54th minute on Saturday night, lifting the Anteaters to a 1-0 victory over Sacramento State in a Big West Conference clash at Anteater Stadium.

The loss was the third straight for the Hornets, who fell to 6-5-2 overall on the year and 1-3 in league play. All three of the defeats have been by a single goal as Sacramento State was shutout for only the second time this season.

Meanwhile, UC Irvine picked up only its second win of the year, improving to 2-10-1 overall and 2-2 in conference action.

The Anteaters took nine of the 10 shot attempts in the first half as the Hornet defense bent, but did not break. Sophomore goalkeeper Mac Learned made two of his three saves in the first 45, denying Ashish Chattha in the 32nd minute and Robert Mejia in the 43rd.

UC Irvine then wasted little time in breaking the seal in the second half, needing just eight minutes to go ahead as Chattha dented the back of the net by running onto a cross from Eddy Berumen for the 1-0 lead.

Sacramento State, which finished with six shots in the second half, finally put an attempt on net in the 80th minute as Christian Powell was in a great position to net the equalizer, putting his head on pass into the six from Jaime Robles off a corner, but the Anteater goalkeeper was there to smother it on a bounce.

Genaro Alfaro, who led the team with three attempts on the night, then forced another save with a curling shot from about 35 yards out to the middle of the cage, but was turned away with just over three minutes to play.

After playing three of its last four on the road, including back-to-back trips to Southern California, the Hornets finally return home for back-to-back matches next week, hosting No. 24 UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday (Oct. 12) before welcoming UC Riverside on Saturday (Oct. 15). Both matches are scheduled to kick-off at 3 p.m.