Sometimes a team has to go to the Ocean’s Eleven level to score a goal. Other times it’s like taking candy – a jawbreaker for example - from a baby. The Chico State men’s soccer team enjoyed a little bit of both in its 3-1 win against Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday in its 2011 regular season home finale at University Soccer Stadium.
 
Chico State’s first two goals were jaw droppers. The last was the aforementioned jawbreaker.  
 
Fittingly, on “Senior Day,” seniors Ryan Struckmeyer and Ferid Celosmanovic teamed up on the first. Struckmeyer, on the right flank just inside the midfield stripe, played a diagonal ball over the top to Celosmanovic as he made a run toward the left post. The 2010 All-American one-timed it out of the air across the face of the goalkeeper and into the top shelf to give the Wildcats a 1-0 edge in the ninth minute.
 
Freshman Adam Black went black ops for his first career goal exactly one minute before the half to put the Wildcats in the lead for good at 2-1. Black, who moments earlier had a long laser to the upper-v saved with a dive, made sure his second shot wasn’t touched. Mike Janjigian headed Evan Johnston’s corner kick at the far post toward the center of the box where Black struck a beauty, burying a volley toward the top right corner of the net.
 
The last goal was more of a gift. Cal State Monterey Bay goalkeeper Cory Calder corralled a cross and the rolled it out to kick it. But he flubbed the kick and Octavio Guzman pounced, collected it with only Calder to beat. He dribbled at the goal, went around Calder’s desperation dive, and the rolled the ball into an unguarded net from 10 yards. It was the freshman’s seventh goal of the season.
 
Cal State Monterey Bay’s California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championship Tournament hopes came to an end with the loss despite a much-improved season under first-year Head Coach Rob Cummings. The Otters briefly tied the match with Max Brixey’s 19^th-minute goal. Servando Perez snuck up from his defender position and played a nice cross to Cody Lutz who waited for the defender to commit before slipping a pass to Brixey for a one-timer from 12 yards.
 
The Otters fell to 6-8-1 overall and 6-7-1 in the CCAA.
 
Meanwhile, the Wildcats improved to 10-3-3 overall and 9-3-2 in the CCAA and can clinch a CCAA Championship Tournament berth with a win Friday at Humboldt State. Chico State, ranked No. 2 in the West Region, can also clinch if they tie and Cal Poly Pomona ties or loses at Cal State San Bernardino Friday. They could even clinch a spot if they lose, providing Cal State San Bernardino beats Cal Poly Pomona and Sonoma State beats Cal State Stanislaus.
 
Chico State leads the CCAA North Division with 29 points. Sonoma State is second with 26. And Cal State Stanislaus has 25. The Seawolves host the Warriors Friday. The Wildcats will win the North Division if they beat Humboldt State Friday and beat or tie Sonoma State on Sunday.
 
Chico State seniors Celosmanovic, Struckmeyer, Jacob Darr, Chris Akwaja and Nick Tedrow played the final regular-season home matches of their career Sunday and were honored in a “Senior Day” ceremony prior to kickoff.
 
As the West Region’s 2^nd-ranked team, a strong finish and deep CCAA Championship run might just mean they’ll be back on their home pitch before their careers are through, however.

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