HAYWARD – Octavio Guzman’s 67th minute penalty kick goal lifted the Chico State men’s soccer team to a 1-0 win at Cal State East Bay Sunday, finishing off the Wildcats’ stretch of seven of eight matches on the road to start the season.

Chico State’s defense limited the host Pioneers to just seven shots, and goalkeeper Sam Evans had to make just one save to record the shutout.

The win was important because California Collegiate Athletic Association North Division leader Sonoma State lost in double-overtime at San Francisco State. The Wildcats improved to 4-2-2 overall and 3-2-1 in the CCAA and now trail the Seawolves by just two points in the race for the North Division title.

Cal State Stanislaus, who the Wildcats host Friday night at 7 PM in just their second home game of the season, could have moved into a first-place tie with a win at Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday. But the Otters, who upset Chico State on Friday, beat the Warriors 2-0 to finish big weekend in which they moved into a tie for second place with the Wildcats at 3-2-1 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats will now play four straight at home starting Friday, and six of their last 10 regular-season matches.

That will give Chico State’s fans a good chance to see the team’s freshman phenom Guzman, who has now scored five goals in his first nine collegiate matches. That’s the most by a Chico State freshman since Jaime Rodriguez scored nine and Michael Esser five during the Wildcats’ run to the NCAA Championship match in 2003.

The Wildcats, who entered the weekend ranked No. 4 in the West Region, finished with a 15-7 edge in shots and an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks.

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