The Chico State men's soccer team certainly played well enough to knock off a top-20 team for the third time this season. The Wildcats seemingly outplayed 13^th-ranked Cal State L.A. in all but one facet of Friday afternoon's match at University Soccer Stadium. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that one facet was finishing.
 
In a match that featured three especially promising goal-scoring opportunities, the Wildcats had two of them and Cal State L.A. just one. But it was the Golden Eagles' Shahin Hemat who put the ball in the back of the net in a 1-0 win that put them on top of the California Collegiate Athletic Association table.
 

Ironically, it came just 15 seconds after Chico State's Rajaee DeLane's shot from essentially the same spot on the opposite end of the field was saved by Cal State L.A. keeper Dan Arnoll, who finished with five saves to register a clean sheet.
 
Arnoll's ensuing long punt to just outside of the 18-yard box was headed hard the other way, but directly to the left foot of Ryan Arkelian, who one-timed it into the open space on the right side of the 18-yard box. Hemat ran onto it, took one touch, and finished with quality on the ground through the window between a quickly closing defender and sprawling goalkeeper Damion Lewis, sticking it into the far side netting.
 
Chico State finished the match with a 16-6 edge in shots and took five on frame to Cal State LA's three. The Wildcats also had a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks.
 
DeLane, whose speed gave the Golden Eagles fits, had a similar opportunity in the first half, but his chip attempt sailed high.
 
Chico State fell to 3-5-3 overall and 2-3-2 in the CCAA, while Cal State L.A. improved to 7-1-3 overall and 5-1-0 in the CCAA.
 
Chico State is back at it on Sunday when 20^th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills comes to town for an 11:30 a.m. match. The Toros (7-3-1, 4-1-0) will be attempting to join Cal State L.A. atop of the conference standings.