TURLOCK – It's going to be an especially manic Monday for the Chico State women's soccer team. The Wildcats dropped their California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament title match to Cal State L.A. Sunday in Turlock, 3-1, and now must await Monday's 4 p.m. selection show to find out if they will be playing in next weekend's NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional.
 

Cal State L.A., which also won the conference's regular-season title, has now scored 12 goals in its past four matches while stretching its unbeaten streak to 14. The Golden Eagles received an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament with the victory.
 
Chico State was ranked No. 7 in the West Region entering the weekend before beating 3^rd-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Friday. Cal State L.A. was No. 2. The Golden Eagles, Seattle Pacific and Point Loma have already punched their tickets to the NCAA Championship Tournament by earning their conference's automatic bid. That leaves three at-large bids for the committee to dole out. Unbeaten Western Washington will almost surely grab one. That leaves two more spots between Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Stanislaus, Sonoma State, California Baptist and Chico State.
 
"I believe that we aren't done yet. I hope that we're not done yet," said Chico State senior Megan Tabler, named to the All-Tournament team, along with Lindsey Dias, Stephanie Vaquerano and Pooja Patel.
 
The Wildcats are 12-5-2 thanks to a late-season run in which they won six straight heading into Sunday's match.
 
Cal State L.A. put a serious dent in their hopes of making it seven in a row very early. The Golden Eagles scored twice in the first 14 minutes. In fact, the first half featured four gorgeous goals. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, they were on the short end of three of them.
 

They cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 20^th minute on Vaquerano's volley of Patel's pass. The buildup began when Tabler passed to Patel on the right flank. The true freshman got around a defender and found some space near the end line before playing a pinpoint pass with good pace to the 6-yard box. Vaquerano was ready for it. She got a jump on her defender and lunged with a left-footed volley, redirecting it into the far-post netting (pictured above).
 
"Steph just brings it. She's hot and on it all the time," said Chico State women's Head Coach Kim Sutton. "What an emotional spark she was for us today and all weekend actually."
 
But Cal State L.A.'s vaunted offense went right back to work and stretched the lead to 3-1 in the 28^th minute.
 
"That was the tough one," said Sutton. "What a great team that we battled today. They're so opportunistic on their chances. We did everything we could try to battle back and make a comeback. We just came up short."
 
Hannah Halstenson nearly drew the 'Cats back within a goal in the 36^th minute, but her 22-yard blast banged off the crossbar.

The Wildcats are hoping the NCAA Championship Tournament chances don't do the same.
 

"I just hope the team's not done and we get a chance to continue this journey," said Sutton.
 
Either way, it's been quite a season for the Wildcats.
 
"It was a fairly young team with not much playoff experience. Terrific leadership got us here," said Sutton, referring to her five-woman senior class of Tabler, Brianna Furner, Halima Abdelshife, Stephanie Vaquerano and Torri Sims. "I just couldn't be more proud of them."
 
Fans can watch the NCAA Championship Tournament selection show at www.ncaa.com/liveschedule Monday at 4 p.m., Pacific.