The Chico State men’s soccer team is halfway to its third consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association North Division crown. But the Wildcats still have a long way to go to reach the top. Five of their last seven regular-season contests will be on the road, beginning this weekend when they face Cal State East Bay Friday at 4:30 p.m. and Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday at 2.
Coming off a stretch of eight home matches in their first nine, the Wildcats are 5-2-2 overall, 4-2-1 in the CCAA, and ranked No. 5 in the West Region. They’re unbeaten in their last five matches thanks to three shutouts and only two goals allowed during that stretch which began with a 1-0 win against Cal State Monterey Bay on Sept. 14.
Luis Martinez scored the game-winning goal in the 55th minute of that match in which the Wildcats outshot the Otters 15-4. Chico State leads the all time series 11-6-1, but the Wildcats are just 3-3-1 all time in Seaside. Cal State Monterey Bay, which hosts Cal State Stanislaus Friday night, enters the weekend 1-7 overall and 1-6 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw with Cal State East Bay two days later when the Pioneers scored with one second remaining in regulation. Still, Chico State leads the all-time series 40-14-5 and has gone 16-1-2 against the Pioneers over their last 19 meetings. Cal State East Bay is 2-5-2 overall and 1-4-2 in the CCAA.
The Wildcats shouldn’t be concerned about their road-heavy schedule if their lone away contest this season is a sign of things to come. In that match, on Sept. 21 at Sonoma State, true freshman Matt Hurlow scored the winning goal in a 1-0 overtime victory. That win and last Sunday’s draw versus their North Division co-leaders, gives the Wildcats the tiebreaker if the teams finished tied for first.
Sonoma State hosts CCAA South Division leader UC San Diego Friday and Cal State San Bernardino Sunday.
Live stat links for both Chico State matches are availalbe on the Chico State Athletics home page and men's soccer team page.
