Kim Sutton, one of the longest tenured members of Chico State’s Athletics Department as its women’s soccer coach, is as young as her assistant coaches at heart. It’s a good thing, because her Wildcats have been nothing short of cardiac ’Cats thus far this season.
After surrendering an early lead the Wildcats (1-2-1) lost a heartbreaker 2-1 at 10th-ranked Seattle Pacific to start the season. They played their first of two overtimes games two days later, finishing their game at Western Washington in a scoreless draw. Scotie Walker gave the team a thrill in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) opener last Friday with the game-winning goal in the 16th minute of overtime. And then CCAA North Division favorite Cal State Stanislaus, currently ranked No. 23 in the nation, ripped those same hearts out by scoring the game-winning goal with just 49 seconds left in regulation last Sunday in Turlock.
A strong weekend could put that memory far back in the rearview mirror, however. The Wildcats are heading to Southern California to face to the West Region’s top teams. They’ll face unbeaten Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday at 4:30. The Toros are 4-0 and ranked No. 14 in the nation and tied for the top spot in the West Region rankings with UC San Diego. Chico State then takes on Cal State L.A. (2-2) Sunday at 2 PM. The Golden Eagles have dropped consecutive 1-0 decisions to nationally ranked UC San Diego and Cal State Dominguez Hills.
The Wildcats, who lost a 1-0 decision to Cal State Dominguez Hills last season in Chico, handed the Toros a 2-1 loss in their last meeting in Carson. They have not beaten Cal State L.A. since 2006, however, spanning six games over four years. The teams did tie 0-0 three straight times during the 2007 season with the Wildcats claiming the CCAA Championship Tournament title on Anjie Goulding’s penalty kick and then Cal State L.A. winning the shooting in the opening round of the NCAA Championship Tournament.
Click here for livestats at Cal State Dominguez Hills
Click here for livestats at Cal State L.A.
