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DAVIS, Calif. – The Tracy Hamm era is off to a phenomenal start, thanks to a dominating performance in Friday's rivalry game at Aggie Soccer Field.

Sacramento State may have scored first, and did so 64 seconds into each team's season opener, but UC Davis remained poised and rebounded from that early Hornet goal by scoring two of its own five minutes apart to take a 2-1 lead into halftime.

Four minutes into the second half, the Aggies doubled that cushion, nearly extended that lead on multiple occasions as the game progressed, and opened the 2019 campaign with a 3-1 win.

"I'm so proud of our resilience and fight. We found a way to bounce back from an early mistake and I couldn't be happier," said Hamm. "We had some special individual performances, but what's important is that we had a solid program victory."
 
UC Davis will enter Thursday's game at Pacific, its first road game of the year, with a 1-0 record. Sacramento State will continue its season with a 0-1 mark. Friday's home victory also extended the Aggies' dominance in this regional rivalry; in the last 13 years, they won nine Causeway Cup clashes and tied another three.

"I thought the way the defensive unit stuck together today was great. We kept our poise and continued to attack the ball. After that goal, we maintained the correct mentality and believed we could mount a comeback and win the game," said junior goalkeeper Jessica Lima.
 
After the Hornets jumped out early, redshirt freshman Leslie Fregoso netted UC Davis' inaugural goal of the year in the 13th minute when she punched in junior defender Ana Williams' cross to even the score at one apiece.
 
Five minutes later, Fregoso beat Sacramento State's goalkeeper again to give her team the lead for good.
 
With Hornet 'keeper Aaliyah Fesili unable to secure junior midfielder Janessa Staab's initial shot of that scoring opportunity, Fregoso was one of a handful of Aggies that saw a chance to score the Aggies' second goal of the day. On a rebound that could have been redirected by one of numerous UC Davis players stationed right in front of Sacramento State's net, it was the midfielder's foot that found the ball first, giving her team a 2-1 lead in the process.
 
Fregoso's brace marked the first time since Oct. 25, 2018, that an Aggie scored multiple goals in one game. On that date, Casey Palmer scored twice against Long Beach State in a contest that also took place at Aggie Soccer Field.
 
The Aggies maintained that 2-1 lead for more than 30 minutes of game time until Mahlah Catline turned the Hornets' failed attempt to clear the ball out of their 18-yard box into another goal. That strike took place four minutes into the second half, and effectively sealed the victory for UC Davis.
 
On the opposite end of the field, Lima only needed to make three saves to help her team start the season with an impressive result.
 
Led by Fregoso, Catline, and senior forward Olivia Jones, who all finished with a team-high three, the Aggies outshot the Hornets by a 20-11 margin. 
 
Following Thursday's game at Pacific, UC Davis will return to Aggie Soccer Field on Sunday, Sept. 1, to host Green Bay for the first time in program history.
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
 
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 athletics programs.

Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year.

All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs.

To learn more about Marya Welch Initiative projects, like this group on Facebook, or join this groundbreaking program by clicking here, contacting Assistant AD for Leadership Giving and Alumni Engagement Liz Martin at (530) 752-7326 or emartin@ucdavis.edu.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.