DAVIS, Calif. -- Senior Day. Rivalry Game. Big West Conference Tournament berth on the line. There was no better setting for a regular season finale than at Aggie Soccer Field on Saturday and both sides treated the assembled crowd of 869 strong to a classic battle between long-time rivals.

Going toe-to-toe for the full 90 minutes, it would be host UC Davis ending the day celebrating as senior Robert Mejia's goal in the 54th minute helped lift the Aggies a 2-1 victory over Sacramento State and into the Big West Tournament.

The victory improved UC Davis to 8-9-1 overall and 4-4-1 in league play, clinching one of six postseason berths. With 13 points, the Aggies can either earn the fifth or sixth seed depending on UC Riverside's result against UC San Diego later Saturday night. A Highlander victory would relegate UC Davis to the sixth seed, while a UCR loss or draw gives the Aggies the fifth seed.

With the loss, Sacramento State finished its season at 5-10-3 overall and 3-4-2 in conference play, missing out on the playoffs.

The two teams traded first-half goals, with the Hornets breaking the seal in the 38th minute on Christo Cervantes' second of the year, putting home the rebound off a Jhared Willcot shot to the right post for the 1-0 lead.

Senior Kaleb Schirmacher found the equalizer five minutes later as the ball got lost in traffic inside the 18, but an attempted clear didn't get further than the San Clemente, Calif., native, who pushed home his first goal of the year back through the mosh pit to make it a 1-1 contest.

It remained that way until Mejia struck gold nearly nine minutes into the second half, fighting through defenders at the top of the 18 on the left side and firing just out of the reach of the Hornet goalkeeper to the right post, giving the UC Davis the 2-1 lead.

That left it up to the Aggies' defense and they were up to the task. Freshman Charles Janssen turned away a pair of golden chances by Sacramento State's Titus Washington and another by the Hornets' Michael Gonzalez with just under two minutes remaining to secure the victory. Janssen finished with six saves to earn his first career victory.

UC Davis out-shot Sacramento State by a 16-9 count, with six of those attempts coming off the foot of Mejia, who put three of his attempts on goal, while the Aggies finished with 10 corners to just two for the Hornets.

Big West Tournament play begins on Nov. 3 at the home of the higher seeded teams as the No. 6 seed takes on the No. 3 seed, and the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds battling one another with the top two teams waiting in the wings for the semifinals on Nov. 6. The championship will be contested at the home field of the highest remaining seed on Nov. 13.