CARSON – Players in the Chico State men's soccer program may or may not have been motivated by the team's disappearance from the nation's top 25 this week. They certainly played like they had a chip on their shoulder Friday night. The Wildcats scored four second-half goals on the way to a 5-0 dismantling of 23rd-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson.
True freshman Octavio Guzman garnered his second and third goals of the season and Ferid Celosmanovic, Chris Akwaja and Chris Paulo also found the net for the Wildcats, who improved to 3-1-1 overall and 2-1-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). Cal State Dominguez Hills dropped to 3-1-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats now have wins against the preseason favorite to win the CCAA South Division title (Dominguez Hills), the team picked to finish third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (Western Washington) and the team picked to finish third in the CCAA North Division (Cal State Stanislaus) on their ledger. They tied Seattle Pacific, picked to finish second in the GNAC, on the road.
But Friday's win was certainly the most impressive. The Wildcats found the net on five of their 12 shots to hand the Toros their worst loss since 2005. It's unknown if they've ever absorbed such a lopsided beating at home. They have not in the 2000s.
Celosmanovic staked the Wildcats to a 1-0 lead with his fourth goal of the season in the 35th minute. Micah Miranda provided the pass to put the 2010 All-American in prime scoring real estate. He beat one defender and then spun before beating goalkeeper Markus Dickerson with a blast inside the near post.
The match went to the half 1-0, but it was not close for long. Guzman, starting the second half in place of Celosmanovic, got on the receiving end of Trevor Spurgeon's cross and one-timed it near post for a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half.
Then things got really crazy. Akwaja hit a chip shot over Dickerson to make it 3-0 in the 53rd minute, and then 31 seconds later, Guzman scored again to make it 4-0. This time the freshman got on the receiving end of Evan Johnston's free kick and deposited home with a header.
Freshmen Chris Paulo and Adam Black joined Spurgeon in notching the first points of their collegiate career in the 82nd minute. Black dribbled around Dickerson before dishing off to Paulo for the goal to make it 5-0.
Perhaps lost in all the scoring was a strong outing by the Chico State defense. That group, spearheaded by goalkeeper James Stroud, held the Toros scoreless for the first time this season. Stroud made five saves and faced 14 corner kicks in the shutout.
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The Wildcats have little time to enjoy their victory, however, as Sunday's match at 10th-ranked Cal State L.A. looms. The Golden Eagles beat Cal State Stanislaus 2-1 in overtime Friday to improve to 4-0-1 on the season.
