SEATTLE, Wash. – The eighth-ranked Chico State men’s soccer team banged out 17 shots in its season opener at Seattle Pacific Thursday night but had to settle for a 0-0 draw thanks to some nifty goaltending by Falcons keeper Zach Johnson, who made four saves.

Perhaps Johnson’s most impressive save came at the left post midway through the second and final sudden-victory overtime period. With 6:10 left true freshman Octavio Guzman took the ball down the left wing and into the penalty area. He sent it toward the near post, and Ferid Celosmanovic, who beat SPU with the only goal of the game last year in Chico, ran onto it, trying to redirect it into the net. But Johnson moved to his right and stretched to knock the ball wide. Johnson also made a save on Celosmanovic at the right post with 8:14 left in regulation.

The Wildcats thought they were the beneficiary of an own goal with 33:22 left in regulation, but the offside flag went up, keeping the game scoreless.

Celosmanovic peppered the SPU defense with seven shots, including three on goal. But Johnson was up to the task each time. Chris Akwaja and Guzman got of a trio of shots apiece.

The Falcons had three chances midway through the second half, but came up empty: one by Richie Evoy that bounced off the top of the crossbar, one by Ryan Brand in the box that was saved by Chico goalkeeper Sam Evans while he was down on the ground, and another by Brand that curled just wide left.

Evans, who posted four shutouts and a 1.13 goals against average as a true freshman last season, tallied three saves and faced 15 shots in all.

Newcomers Jake Ward (a transfer from Butte College) and Guzman both started for the Wildcats. In Evans, Ward, Evan Johnston, Luke Palmer and Mike Janjigian, five sophomores joined the true freshman Guzman in the starting lineup. Two more freshmen came off the bench – Cody Levar and Adam Black – as did sophomore Tyler Lunde (a transfer from UC Riverside). Seniors Jacob Darr, Nick Tedrow, Akwaja, and Celosmanovic and junior Tyson Crim rounded out the starting lineup.

The Wildcats continue their two-game Pacific Northwest road trip with a matchup at Western Washington Sunday at 1:30 PM. Live stats for the match will be available by clicking HERE.

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