SACRAMENTO - Sacramento State had 12 kills from Victoria Marthaler and 11 digs from Reese Ampi, but it was not enough in a 3-0 loss to UTEP on Friday evening at the Nest.

The match marked the season opener for both teams, and was part of the three-day Sacramento State Invitational. Pepperdine and UC Davis also played today with the Waves winning by a 3-1 score. The tournament features two more matches tomorrow and two on Sunday. Saturday's schedule is Pepperdine vs. UTEP at 4 p.m., and the Hornets vs. UC Davis at 7 p.m.

UTEP returns all six starters from last year's 27-6 season in which the team received an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament and ranked 43rd in the country in the final RPI poll. The Hornets, who lost three all-conference players from last season's squad, are the defending Big Sky Conference Tournament champions.

The Hornets have seven newcomers on this year's team, six of which are freshmen. Of those seven newcomers, five appeared in tonight's match. That included Marthaler, a sophomore transfer from Weber State, who was impressive in her Hornet debut. The outside hitter had a career-high 12 kills to go along with five digs and a block.

Sacramento State finished with 29 kills while UTEP had 45 kills to go along with a .368 hitting percentage. The Miners also had 12 more digs (44-32) than the Hornets. After a quick first set, Sacramento State battled in the second (trailed, 15-13) and third (trailed, 16-15) before the Miners pulled away in both frames.

Besides Marthaler, no other Hornet had more than five kills as middle blocker Ashlynn Archer had five kills, a .300 hitting percentage and two blocks, and freshman rightside Charlee Lepp added five kills. Senior Greta Davis had four kills, two aces, and five digs, and setter Kate Doorn two kills, 25 assists and five digs as the Hornets ran a 5-1 offense. Archer, Davis and Doorn are this season's team captains.

Ampi's 11 digs were a team best, and Abbey Kadillak posted five digs. Freshman Kelsey Heffner had a kill and two blocks, as she and Lepp both posted their first collegiate kills. Freshmen that played in tonight's match included Lepp, Heffner, Eleanor Weeks and Kaylee Piepho. 

This season marks the seventh straight the Hornets are hosting the Sacramento State Invitational. The team's final two matches of the tournament take place Saturday vs. UC Davis at 7 p.m., and Sunday vs. Pepperdine at 1:30 p.m.