It’s a trap! When Admiral Ackbar spoke those words during “Return of the Jedi,” it was nearly too late and the rebel forces were almost thwarted. As it was, they sustained heavy losses. Fortunately for the Chico State men’s soccer team, they’ve known this weekend could be a dangerous one since the schedule was released.
The Wildcats are coming off arguably their toughest road trip of the season at nationally-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A., playing on the road for the fourth consecutive weekend, and looking forward to playing back at home for just the second time all season and the first time in three weeks on Sept. 30 against Cal State Stanislaus.
But Head Coach Felipe Restrepo and his 3-1-2 squad know that a sub-par performance this weekend could negate any of the good that came from last weekend’s solid 1-0-1 road trip to Southern California. Thus, the Wildcats don’t plan to be caught off guard when they take on Cal State Monterey Bay Friday at 12:30 PM and Cal State East Bay Sunday at 11:30 AM. They enter the weekend ranked No. 4 in the West in the most recent National Soccer Coaches’ Association of American (NSCAA) regional poll and among “others receiving votes” in this week’s national poll.
Cal State Monterey Bay has lost three straight to dip to 1-3-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The Otters have scored just once in their last three contests, but their defense has been stout all season, having allowed only six goals.
Cal State East Bay is 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the CCAA, having lost its last four matches by a combined score of 19-3. Included in that carnage is a 9-0 loss at CCAA North Division leader Sonoma State (the only team to have beaten Chico State this season) last Friday.
The Wildcats (2-1-1 in the CCAA and second in the North Division) will be attempting to gain some ground on division leader Sonoma State (4-0-0), which hosts Cal Poly Pomona Friday and San Francisco State Sunday.
The Wildcats are 2-0 against Cal State East Bay since the Pioneers re-joined the Division II ranks thanks in part to the contributions of Chris Akwaja. The senior scored once in the Wildcats’ 2-1 home victory against the Pioneers in 2009 and then struck twice against them in a 3-1 win in Hayward last October. Ferid Celosmanovic, who went on to earn CCAA Offensive Player of the Year honors and is off to a four-goal start in 2011, also scored in that game. Tyson Crim assisted on two of the goals.
They swept the two-game series with Cal State Monterey Bay last season, winning 2-1 on the road and 3-1 at home. Celosmanovic scored the equalizer in the 52nd minute of the first matchup and then Luis Martinez, assisted by Mike Janjigian, rebounded the game-winner in overtime. In the second meeting, Luke Palmer forced home a pair of goals (just as Admiral Ackbar would have it) and Akwaja scored the other.
A link to live stats of the match at Cal State Monterey Bay is available at
www.otterathletics.com. Live stats for the match at Cal State East Bay can be accessed at
www.ccaalivestats.com.
After this weekend, the Wildcats will play four straight and six of their final 10 regular season matches at home.
