Chico State Athletics

Wildcat of the Week Pooja Patel posted two goals and an assist, moving into the program's career top-10 in points, as the women's soccer team won a pair of matches last week.
 
The senior forward/midfielder from Livermore converted on a penalty kick and delivered an assist in the Wildcats' 3–1 victory over Stanislaus State Wednesday. Friday, Patel delivered the match-winning goal in the 87th minute of a 1–0 victory over San Francisco State, snapping the Gators' five-match winning streak.
 
The Wildcats had out-shot San Francisco State 16-4 but were in danger of playing overtime prior to Patel's heroics. Sarah Emigh won an errant clearance just inside the midfield stripe to spark the counter. She quickly passed to Kilgore, who pinged it on to Patel. The senior did the rest, taking one touch before her left-booted banger from 22 yards took a slight deflection off a defender and knuckled into the back of the net.
 
Patel's PK in the 52nd minute was Wednesday's first goal. She nearly scored again in the waning moments, but her rocket toward the far post was parried away. Emigh, making a run to the far post, was there to pound home the rebound.
 
The assist, the 18th of Patel's career, moved her into sixth on the school's all-time list in that category. Following Friday's goal, she is now tied for ninth in program history with 48 points, having leapfrogged Katherine Bagwell and Denise Butticci into a tie with Brenda Bell.
 
Patel will attempt to keep climbing the list and helping to add to the Wildcats' win total this weekend when they travel to face Humboldt State Friday and Sonoma State Sunday.