CHICO – Micah Miranda and Luke Palmer both tallied their first goal of the season to lead the Chico State men’s soccer team to a 2-0 win against Cal State East Bay Friday night at University Soccer Stadium.
 
The Wildcats, who posted their ninth shutout in 15 matches this season, improved to 9-3-3 overall and 8-3-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). They limited Cal State East Bay to seven shots, none of which were on goal. The closest Wildcats goalkeeper James Stroud had to come to making a save was punching a cross away.

Chico State moved into a five-way tie for first in the CCAA. With 26 points - teams receive three points for each win and one point for each tie - they co-lead the North Division with Sonoma State. The Seawolves played to a 1-1 draw at Cal State San Bernardino Friday. Cal State L.A. (a 3-0 winner versus San Francisco State Friday) moved into a first-place with Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills atop the South Division after those teams tied 1-1 Friday.

Three matches remain in the regular season. Chico State’s five seniors – Celosmanovic, Ryan Struckmeyer, Nick Tedrow, Jacob Darr, and Chris Akwaja will be honored on “Senior Day” Sunday when the Wildcats host Cal State Monterey Bay at 2 p.m. in their final home match of the regular season. The ceremony will start at approximately 1:45.
 
They’ll wrap up the regular season with matches at Humboldt State on Oct. 28 and Sonoma State on Oct. 30. With the win tonight, the Wildcats moved in to a first-place tie atop the CCAA North Division with Sonoma State, which played to a 1-1 draw at Cal State San Bernardino Friday.
 
Cal State East Bay dropped to 2-13-0 overall and 1-12-0 in the CCAA.
 
The Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in the West Region, broke the seal a little more than 10 minutes in. Tyson Crim made a run to the near post and flicked Ferid Celosmanovic’s corner kick on toward the goal. But it was deflected by a defender out toward the PK spot where Micah Miranda slammed it home from 10 yards.
 
Palmer put the match away with a gorgeous goal in the 88^th minute. Following a scramble in front the ball washed out to Palmer. He took one touch and then lit the fuse on a 28-yard rocket into the upper-v to his left.

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