The University Soccer Stadium nets are planning to grab the remote, put their feet up, and relax on Friday afternoon. With the Chico State and UC San Diego men’s soccer defenses on the field, they aren’t planning on getting any action during the 4:30 PM showdown.

Chico State and UC San Diego have each posted three consecutive shutouts. The Wildcats boast the top defense in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and the 17th best in the nation in terms of goals-against average (0.66). UC San Diego is second in the CCAA and 27th in the nation (0.80). And the Wildcats’ six shutouts in 10 matches is the ninth highest percentage in the nation, while goalkeeper Sam Evans’ goals-against average of 0.466 is the sixth best in the nation.

Those strong defenses have both teams in the thick of the race for the four berths in the CCAA Championship Tournament. They are among eight teams separated by three points (the equivalent of one win) at the top of the conference standings heading into the second half of the conference schedule.

At 5-2-3 overall and 4-2-2 in the CCAA, Chico State trails Sonoma State by one point in the race for the CCAA North Division crown. The Wildcats also trail UC San Diego (6-4-0 overall, 5-3-0 CCAA) and Cal State L.A. by a point in the race for the conference’s second wildcard berth. The winners of the North and South Divisions earn an automatic berth in the CCAA Championship Tournament, along with the two teams with the next highest point totals regardless of division.

Scoring against the Tritons has recently been a real challenge for the Wildcats. They’ve been shutout in four of their last seven meetings and are 0-6-1 against UC San Diego since 2004. Ferid Celosmanovic actually scored twice in last season’s showdown in La Jolla, but UC San Diego scored the equalizer with 1:28 remaining in regulation and the game-winner 9:10 into the first overtime to send the Wildcats home with a 3-2 loss.

Sunday at 11:30 AM, the Wildcats host a team that has surprisingly struggled to keep teams off the scoreboard this season. Cal State San Bernardino joined the Wildcats in the NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional last year, but the Coyotes have just one shutout to their credit this season and are off to a slow 2-6-0 start in the CCAA. They’re 4-6-0 overall.

The Wildcats saw their eight-match unbeaten streak against Cal State San Bernardino go by the wayside in a 2-1 loss last season in San Bernardino despite Chris Akwaja’s tally. Still, Chico State is 6-1-0 against the Coyotes all-time at home.