HILLSBORO, Ore. – With postseason seeds on the line, the Portland State women's soccer team hosted Sacramento State in their regular season finale on Sunday but couldn't overcome a first-minute goal by the Hornets, resulting in a 1-0 loss on Senior Day at Hillsboro Stadium.
 
The Vikings and Hornets were deadlocked in the Big Sky standings ahead of Sunday's match, each with nine points, placing them tied for fifth. The Hornets broke that tie, finishing their regular season with a record of 5-6-6 and 3-2-3 in Big Sky play. The Vikings, who had suffered just one loss in their last five matches leading up to Sunday, concluded the season at 4-8-4 with a 2-3-3 record in conference play.
 
Despite the wet and chilly conditions, the Hornets came out strong, scoring just 49 seconds into the match to take a lead that held for the remainder of the contest. Facing an early deficit, the Vikings managed only two shots in the opening 20 minutes. They had just three more opportunities in the first half, finishing the opening 45 minutes with only five shots compared to the Hornets' 13.
 
Portland State's best chances came in the second half, with several equalizer attempts striking the goalpost. They controlled possession for much of the half, nearly leveling the overall shot count by out-shooting the Hornets 11-5 after the break. However, the Vikings' high-pressure attack wasn't enough to turn the tide, as Sacramento State held on for a 1-0 victory.
 
Of the Vikings' 16 shots, five came from Abi Hoffman, who had several near misses during her final home game at Hillsboro Stadium. Kalo Iongi wasn't far behind, recording four shots, all in the second half. Eden Millan did her part in goal for the Vikings, keeping the Hornets scoreless for 89 minutes and recording six saves.
 
The loss means the Vikings will head to Missoula in two weeks as the No. 6 seed in the Big Sky Tournament, marking their third consecutive appearance and fifth overall under head coaches Katie Burton and Maureen Whitney.
 
They will kick off play on Wednesday, Nov. 6, against third-seeded Eastern Washington at South Campus Stadium. The winner of that game will advance to the semifinal round to face second-seeded Idaho.

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