SACRAMENTO -- Junior Abigail Lopez converted a penalty in the 25th minute to give her side the early lead, but visiting CSU Bakersfield found the equalizer late in regulation as the two programs battled to a 1-1 draw in the 2023 regular season opener for both teams on Thursday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.

Both teams moved to 0-0-1 on the year despite the Hornets holding a 15-8 shot advantage in the match and the Roadrunners playing a woman down after a red card led to Sacramento State's score midway through the opening half. With the draw, the Hornets are now unbeaten in their last five (2-0-3) home openers, a streak that includes a draw with CSUB in 2021, while the two programs have played to a draw in each of their last three meetings.

For Lopez, it was her eighth career goal (to go with four assists), standing just five scores shy of breaking into the top 10 on the school's all-time list.

Both teams had chances early on as an attempt from distance by Ali Fuamatu-Ma'afala was saved in the lower corner by the CSU Bakersfield goalkeeper and the Roadrunners' Hailey Russell had her attempt in the 18th minute clang off the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.

That was until the Hornets caught a huge break in the 25th minute as Lizzie Ledesma had her shot blocked and Lopez's follow on the rebound was punched off the line by a CSUB defender, drawing a red card. Lopez then stepped to the spot to put home the first goal of the season for a 1-0 lead.
 

Both goalkeepers — Izzy Palmatier for Sacramento State and Hollee Hercik for CSU Bakersfield — then traded saves, but the Hornets kept the pressure on, finishing with the final seven shot attempts of the first half and carrying the one-goal lead into the locker room at the break.

Despite them being down a player, the Roadrunners made an adjustment and turned up the pressure defensively, limiting Sacramento State to only three shots in the second half. CSU Bakersfield then found the tying score in the 79th minute as Catalina Roggerone sent a short pass to the left for Penny Smith, who lofted a ball to the top of the six where Regielly Halldorsdottir headed it home to knot the match at one apiece.

Neither team was able to break through after that as a Hornet corner in the final two minutes was cleared away.

Both Lopez and freshman Ellie Farber finished with five shot attempts on the day, while Fuamatu-Ma'afala and freshman Teysha-Ray Spinney-Kuahuia also put attempts on frame.

Sacramento State remains home for its second match of the season on Sunday (Aug. 20) at 1 p.m., welcoming Causeway rival UC Davis to Hornet Soccer Field.