SEATTLE – It all happens so fast. The ripple of the net when the ball nestles into it. The disappearance of a two-goal lead. The two-to-four year runs of the five seniors on the Chico State men’s soccer team who reached the end of their collegiate careers Thursday night.
It seems like yesterday that the Wildcats scored twice in the final four minutes in an unforgettable 2-1 win in last season’s NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional final. Thursday, they learned the same lesson they taught Grand Canyon that day. It can all end in the time it takes to turn around and see a ball in the back of your net.
Chris Akwaja and Octavio Guzman goals gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead against Cal State L.A. in Thursday’s opening round NCAA Championship Tournament showdown at Interbay Stadium in Seattle. But the 17th-ranked Golden Eagles scored twice in the final 25 minutes of regulation to tie the match, and then when neither team could mine a golden goal in overtime, Cal State L.A. advanced to the West Region title match on penalty kicks, 4-1.
The Wildcats missed their first two PKs before Nick Tedrow gave them momentary life by burying his try. But the Golden Eagles were a perfect 4-for-4, finding the lower left corner of the net each time. Their fourth conversion, by Nicolas Assad, secured their spot in the regional final.
"We really gave it our all tonight. I thought this was the best we've played all season,” said Chico State All-American striker Ferid Celosmanovic. “Struck (Ryan Struckmeyer) shut down the LA midfield and everyone stepped up on the big stage, so it was extremely tough to lose such a hard fought game."
The Wildcats controlled play for much of the early going and broke through in the 35th minute for a 1-0 lead. Micah Miranda helped set up the score by winning the Wildcats a corner kick. The corner came out of the mix to Jake Ward, who settled it out wide and worked the ball to Guzman on the right side. The freshman’s pass connected with Akwaja, streaking toward the far post, and his header to the top shelf gave the Wildcats the lead.
The goal was the 21st of Akwaja’s illustrious career.
Guzman played a little give-and-go with Tyson Crim and Celosmanovic to create the 2-0 lead in the 66th minute. The freshman led a four-on-four counter attack with a dribble down the right side. He swung the ball wide to Crim, who flicked it wide to Celosmanovic. He, in turn, played it back to Crim as he charged down the middle of the field. As the defenders converged, Crim sent it back to Guzman on the right side and his strike snuck inside the far post despite a slight deflection by a Golden Eagles defender.
The two-goal lead didn’t last for long.
Consecutive fouls netted Cal State L.A. a penalty kick 1:41 later that Jason Swope buried to make it 2-1.
The Golden Eagles tied it with just 7:26 remaining in regulation. Marc Hess lofted a ball into the box from just beyond midfield, and Rosario Bras banged it home with a header at the far post.
The Wildcats had numerous chances to win in the first overtime period, but couldn’t quite put the game-winning goal away. Akwaja beat two defenders and shot from inside the box from an awkward angle and missed just high in the 95th minute. Guzman got on the end of a flicked ball and hit a volley just high at the near post in the 97th minute. And Akwaja’s shot in the 100th minute was saved over the bar by the Golden Eagles’ goalkeeper. Ward’s volley sailed just high on the ensuing corner, moments before the horn sounded.
Chico State finished with a 22-12 edge in shots and a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Because the match was tied after 110 minutes, both teams will be credited with a draw. That leaves the Wildcats with a 13-4-4 record, the program’s best winning percentage since 2003 and the second best in more than 20 seasons. The players who were part of last season’s success as well can boast the program’s most wins over a two-year period (28) in 30 years, along with consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) North Division titles.
“I couldn’t be prouder of these young men,” said Chico State Head Coach Felipe Restrepo, who finished his fourth season at the helm. “They’ve helped bring this program back to where it needs to be, and as they pass the baton to the next generation of players, they can always know that their fingerprints are on whatever we go on to accomplish.”
Take Cal State L.A. out of the equation and the Wildcats’ fingerprints might have been on another West Regional title trophy. The Golden Eagles scored twice in the final 9:06 of regulation to force a draw with the Wildcats during the regular season at Cal State L.A. They beat the Wildcats 2-0 in Sunday’s CCAA Championship Tournament final. And they scored twice more on Thursday. Of the 17 goals the Wildcats allowed this season, more than a third of them came against Cal State L.A.
“That’s a great team,” said Restrepo. “They’re well coached and they have a lot of fight in them. We have nothing to hang our heads about.”
The Golden Eagles, now 14-1-6, will face tonight’s Seattle Pacific-Cal State Dominguez Hills winner in Saturday’s regional title tilt.
Restrepo’s respect for the Golden Eagles is obvious. But it’s equally obvious that he wouldn’t trade his guys for anyone.
“Struck (Ryan Struckmeyer), Chris (Akwaja), Teddy (Nick Tedrow), J. (Jacob) Darr – those were some of the first guys I brought here,” said Restrepo. “And Ferid and has only been here for two years. But he’s raised the level of the program as well. It’s hard to swallow the fact that this was their last time trotting out on that field in the cardinal and white.”
It all goes by so fast. Too fast. But one thing is for certain: Those are five Wildcats who will not soon be forgotten.
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