CHICO – For all the hard work and subsequent success the Chico State men’s soccer team experienced in 2012, the Wildcats know that how they fare in this weekend’s CCAA Championship Tournament will be key to locking up an NCAA Tournament berth and prolonging their season. The ’Cats, the No. 2 seed in the four-team conference tournament, will open Friday against No. 3 seed and host school Cal State Dominguez Hills at Toro Stadium in Carson. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The winner will play for the CCAA Championship Tournament crown Sunday at 3 p.m. against the victor of Friday’s opening round match between No. 1 Cal State L.A. and No. 4 Cal State Stanislaus.
Chico State enters play Friday on one of the best rolls in the program’s history. The Wildcats are 9-2-5 overall and fresh off of capturing their third straight CCAA North Division title, fashioning a 12-match unbeaten streak to finish 8-1-5 in conference play.
The ’Cats head into the CCAA Championship Tournament 3-0-3 on the road this season.
The Wildcats tallied 25 goals in their 16 matches while allowing just 13 opposition scores, and will look to their All-CCAA players – First Teamer Micah Miranda, Second Team picks Akwafei Ajeakwa (the team’s leading scorer was also named the conference’s co-Newcomer of the Year), Octavio Guzman and Mike Janjigian, and Honorable Mentions Luis Martinez and Jake Ward – to help Chico State go deep into the postseason.
Ironically, the ’Cats’ lone CCAA defeat in 2012 came at the hands of Friday’s conference tournament opponent – Cal State Dominguez Hills downing Chico State 3-1 on Sept. 9 at University Soccer Stadium. Since that match the Wildcats have gone 7-0-5 to earn the No. 5 spot in the latest NCAA West Region rankings, ahead of Cal State L.A. (No. 6), Cal State Dominguez Hills (No. 7) and Cal State Stanislaus (No. 8). With all three teams competing in the conference tournament, a win Friday will go a long way towards Chico State settling into one of the top six spots in the West, resulting in an NCAA Tournament bid.
Cal State Dominguez Hills comes into Friday’s contest 10-6-1 on the season. Despite starting the year 1-4-1, the Toros finished second in the CCAA South Division to Cal State L.A., wrapping up the regular season winning seven of their final eight matches. At No. 7 in the West Region, the Toros essentially need to win the CCAA Championship Tournament for any chance to finish as one of the top six teams in the West.
Dominguez Hills scored 31 goals in their 17 matches, while its goalkeeping tandem of Trey Mitchell and Juan Quiroz held opponents to just 18 scores on the year. The Toros are led by a pair of All-CCAA First Team selections: junior midfielder Jio Santana (five goals and seven assists on the year) and junior defender Jordan Hatanaka (three goals and three assists). Junior forward Aaron Salazar (the Toros’ leading scorer with six goals and six assists) shared the CCAA Newcomer of the Year award with Ajeakwa.
Playing on its home pitch gives Dominguez Hills a possible edge heading into the CCAA Championship Tournament. The Toros are 7-1-1 at Toro Stadium this year.
Friday will mark Chico State’s seventh appearance in the CCAA Championship Tournament and fourth in the last five years. Interestingly, this will be the fourth straight time the Wildcats have gone head-to-head with Dominguez Hills in conference tournament play.
Chico State is 1-1-1 against Dominguez Hills in their three CCAA Championship Tournament matchups. The two teams tied 1-1 in the 2008 semifinals, with the Toros advancing by winning a 5-3 shootout. Dominguez Hills downed Chico State 3-0 in the 2010 semis, but last season the ’Cats returned the favor, knocking off the Toros 3-0 to advance to the CCAA Tournament championship match.
You can follow the action online via Live Stats as well as video-only (no audio) streaming courtesy of the Toros Sports Network.
CLICK HERE for Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills Live Stats
CLICK HERE for Chico State-Cal State Dominguez Hills video-only stream
