The Chico State women's soccer team will play its home opener against perennial West Region power Seattle Pacific one week from tonight. But the Wildcats have some roadwork to do first. Chico State opens the 2014 season Thursday against Dixie State in St. George, Utah, at 3 p.m., Pacific, before taking on California Baptist Saturday at noon in Riverside.
 
The matches should provide a good barometer to where the Wildcats stack up in a stacked West Region. Cal Baptist is picked to finish second in the PacWest Conference this season and Dixie State fifth. The Wildcats were picked to finish sixth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Fans can keep tabs on Thursday's match via livestats HERE:
Saturday's action will be streamed live HERE, where a livestats link is also avaialble:

The Wildcats are coming off an 8-8-2 season but boast a strong senior class that has been to the promised land. Brianna Furner, Halima Abdelshife, Torri Sims and Megan Tabler were all key cogs in the team's 2011 West Region title run that ended at the Final Four. They, along with fellow senior Stephanie Vaquerano, will lead the 2014 Wildcats into action.
 
"They bring us some of the best leadership we've had since I've been here," said Sutton. "This is their last chance to make a run at postseason success and you can see that they're motivated by that."
 
Furner, Tabler and Abdelshife have all been mainstays in the lineup since the beginning. Furner ranks third in Chico State history in wins (28) and shutouts (19) and boasts a sparkling career saves percentage of .789. Tabler has started 39 matches over the past three seasons, including all 18 in 2013. She scored two goals and dished out three assists last season, both career highs. Abdelshife has started 56 consecutive games while playing all over the pitch.
 
Sixteen players in all return from last season's that finished fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association's (CCAA) South Division, including starters Furner, Tabler, Abdelshife, Simms, Cassi Scroggins, Lindsay Dias and Emily Shleppey.
 
Transfers Katie "Woody" Woodrum (University of San Francisco) and JoJo Smyth (San Francisco City College by way of Chico High School) lead a strong group of newcomers. True Freshman Pooja Patel has also caught Sutton's eye.
 
"Our midfield is probably as strong as it's ever been and our defense looks really good," said Sutton. "We're kind of young and inexperienced up front but it's a good dynamic so far."
 
Now it's time to see how the Wildcats perform on the pitch.