Chico State Athletics

Jeremiah Egujie opened the season with a brace against Seattle Pacific Thursday. Egujie, our first Wildcat of the Week of 2018-19, scored the only two goals of the match as the Chico State men’s soccer team started the 2018 campaign with a 2-0 victory.

He began 2017 in nearly-identical fashion, scoring twice in the Wildcats’ 2-1 victory in Seattle. Egujie went on to score 10 goals and earn First Team All-CCAA and Second-Team All-West Region honors.

Egujie and the Wildcats are hoping for similar or better results this time around. And they are off to a good start.

His first goal Thursday came on a penalty kick after Michael Hirsch drew a foul in the box. Esten Schroeder and Cooper Renteria combined down the left flank to set up the play. Egujie coolly hit a low drive down the middle once the goalkeeper guessed early. He struck again in the 76th minute. Substitute Matt Hafizi took a pass just inside of the box, but with his back to the goal did not have an angle. So he played the ball back to Egujie, whose left-footed blast nestled inside the far post.

The Wildcats fell to 1-1 with a 1-0 loss to Western Washington Saturday, but Egujie, senior from Benin City, Nigeria (Hawthorne HS), finished the week with a team high eight shots, six of which were on goal.

The Wildcats are back in action at home Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. against Concordia University of Portland.