The five fourth-year seniors on the Chico State women’s soccer team want to suit up together at least five more times. To do so, Blake Lopes, Dara Karnofsky, Molly Downtain, Kasey Wall and Lisa Webster will need to lead the Wildcats to a strong finish with just four regular-season matches remaining.

That quest begins this weekend when the 6-5-3 Wildcats host Cal State East Bay for “Pack The House Night” Friday at 4:30 and then Cal State Monterey Bay on “Senior Day” Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

If the Wildcats do play together at least five more times, that will mean they have reached the postseason, a feat this group of seniors also helped accomplish in 2009 when the Wildcats advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championship Tournament for the first time in the program’s history. But the Wildcats have some catching up to do in order to reach the postseason. They are currently in third place in the North Division of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with 20 points at 6-4-2 in conference play. (Teams receive three points for each win and one for each tie.)

Sonoma State leads the North Division with 25 points, while UC San Diego heads up the South Division with 27. The winners of each division earn automatic berths into the CCAA Championship Tournament scheduled for Nov. 4-6 in Turlock. The two teams with the next highest point totals, regardless of division, will be there as well. Cal State L.A. (23 points) and Cal State Stanislaus (21) currently occupy those positions, though the Wildcats, Cal State San Bernardino and San Francisco State (19 points apiece) and Cal Poly Pomona (18) still have high hopes of making the tournament.

Two good results this weekend is Chico State’s first step toward that end. The Wildcats swept the Pioneers and Otters earlier this season on the road. They beat Cal State Monterey Bay 3-0 behind a defense that did not allow a single shot and goals by Carly Singer, Downtain and Webster. Lopes, Singer and Scotie Walker dished out assists. They traveled to Hayward two days later for a 2-1 win against Cal State East Bay. Webster and Alyx Williams scored as the Wildcats enjoyed an 11-3 edge in corner kicks.

The Wildcats will put a bow on the regular season the following weekend when the head west to face Humboldt State on Friday, Oct. 28 and then Sonoma State on Sunday, Oct. 30.

CURRENT CCAA STANDINGS

NCAA WEST REGION RANKINGS