SACRAMENTO -- Victoria Marthaler (8) and Ashlynn Archer (6) combined for 14 kills, but it was not enough in a 3-0 loss to UC Davis (25-21, 25-21, 25-9) on Saturday evening in front of a near sellout crowd at the Nest.

The Hornets, who have seven newcomers on this year's roster (including six freshmen), dropped to 0-2 at their season-opening Sacramento State Invitational. All four teams at the three-day event - Hornets, UC Davis, Pepperdine, UTEP - are playing their first matches of the season. In today's first matchup, UTEP swept Pepperdine, and the Miners are now the only undefeated team left at the event which runs Friday-Sunday. Both Pepperdine and UC Davis are 1-1.

All four teams conclude the tournament tomorrow. UC Davis plays UTEP at 11 a.m., followed by the Hornets vs. Pepperdine at 1:30 p.m. This year marks the seventh straight non-covid season the Hornets have hosted the Sacramento State Invitational.

The Hornets have now played UC Davis 82 times - tied for the most matches against any opponent (Portland State is the other). Despite this evening's loss, Sacramento State is still 54-28 all-time against its Causeway rival. Coincidentally, the Hornets are also 54-28 against Portland State.

In today's match, the Hornets held a 21-20 lead in the first set, but the Aggies closed on a 5-0 run to capture the frame. In the second set, the two teams were tied at 21-21 before UC Davis closed on a 4-0 run. The Aggies finished with 44 kills to just 22 for the Hornets.

For the second straight match, Marthaler, a transfer from Weber State, led the team in kills with eight. She also added five digs. Ashlynn Archer chipped in six kills and a .333 hitting percentage, and Kate Door finished with 19 assists, eight digs and a pair of blocks. Greta Davis posted four kills and 10 digs, and Reese Ampi had a match-high tying 15 digs.

Of the Hornets' six freshman, five played tonight, including Amy Ito, Eleanor Weeks (1 kills, 2 digs, 1 block), Kelsey Heffner, Keonahi'ilani Solaita and Charlee Lepp.

Sacramento State concludes the tournament tomorrow vs. Pepperdine at 1:30 p.m. The Hornets and Waves will play for just the fourth time ever, and first since 2017.