Omar Nuño was very conspicuous by his absence in the season opener for the Chico State men's soccer team, as the Wildcats struggled to generate any offense against Western Washington. The 'Cats' leading scorer was back on the pitch Saturday, and made his first match of 2016 one to remember. Nuño delivered his second career hat trick and accounted for every Chico State score as the Wildcats edged Seattle Pacific 3-2 at University Soccer Stadium.
 
The 'Cats improved to 1-1-0 with the victory and avenged last season's non-conference loss against the visiting Falcons.
 
Nuño became the first player to produce three goals against Seattle Pacific since November of 2008, and they came against a Falcons defense that allowed just nine total goals in 2015, leading the nation with a 0.45 goals against average.
 
Nuño's hat trick also snapped Seattle Pacific's 63-match streak of allowing two goals or less.
 
It took less than three minutes for Nuño to get the Wildcats on the scoreboard. Dylan Wakefield weaved his way through a double-team and delivered a perfect cross that Nuño deposited from six feet out to give Chico State a 1-0 lead. Seattle Pacific knotted up the score in the 19th minute, as Gabe Kellum beat Wildcats' goalie Damion Lewis off the dribble and knocked the ball home from 10 feet out on the far post.
 
In the second half, Nuño struck pay dirt twice. In the 56th minute, he dribbled past three defenders and shot a laser past Seattle Pacific goalkeeper Cody Lang at point-blank range to put the 'Cats up 2-1. The Falcons again answered, as Stephen MacDonald ripped a rocket from 35 feet out in the 70th minute to tie things up at 2-2.
 
Less than two minutes later, Nuño completed his hat trick with what would turn out to be the match-winning goal. The senior connected on a free kick from 20 feet out, bending his shot just inside the left post to put the Wildcats back in front. The Falcons had a chance to tie it up again in the 85th minute, but a header by Ryan Higgins sailed just wide of the goal, and Chico State hung on for the 3-2 victory.
 
"(Nuño) beat us in just about every facet of the game," Seattle Pacific Head Coach Mark Collings said following the match. "The first one he gets on the end of a cross, the second one he spins our defender and buried it and then the third one was a free kick. I don't think it gets much more complete than that."
 
Seattle Pacific actually outshot the Wildcats 11-10 on the night, with Chico State holding a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Chico State hits the road next week for a pair of non-conference matches. Thursday the 'Cats will be in San Diego for a 4:30 p.m. matchup against Point Loma, then on Saturday the Wildcats will be in Riverside to take on California Baptist at 12:30 p.m.