Spider ID please

[The Snark]

(Sorry, no picture)

In shape, the spider was identical to a large adult female latrodectus hesperus. It's coloration was a uniform chocolate brown inclusive of the legs. It had no hourglass or any other marking.
It was found under loose leaf mold. No webbing was present. The location was second growth forest area on the coast of northern California outside the city of Arcata.
A student at Humboldt State University tentatively identified the animal as a 'brown wood spider'.

Any guesses as to what it might have been?

[ZergFront]

Without pics, I would assume it's some kind of Steatoda. They are very common in California. Steatoda grossa comes to mind.

[The Snark]

Without pics, I would assume it's some kind of Steatoda. They are very common in California. Steatoda grossa comes to mind.

Essentially it looked identical to S. Grossa, but no webbing and it seemed at home crawling around on the ground. Do Steatoda ever do that? Alternate lifestyle?

[Ciphor]

Essentially it looked identical to S. Grossa, but no webbing and it seemed at home crawling around on the ground. Do Steatoda ever do that? Alternate lifestyle?

Doesn't sound at all like the type of place you would find a Steatoda spp.

If it was Chocolate brown I would lean away from S. grossa as they are typically black to dark maroon, never seen any brown ones.

Would definitely need a pick Snark. But, don't let where you found it be the cement on ID'ing. A bird could have snatched it and dropped it or any other number of events that lead to females being far from home.

[The Snark]

No, it was an anomaly so accidental relocation is among the possibilities. What that student said never made sense to me. I was never able to find more specimens and I had what appeared to be a comb footed spider living on the ground.