One rocket was all it took. The Chico State women's soccer team was over the moon.
Shelby Lanksbury's laser in the 86
th minute lifted the Wildcats to a 1-0 victory over perennial West Region power Seattle Pacific – picked to finish second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference preseason poll – in a crucial early-season, non-conference showdown.
Lindsey Dias, Shelby Lanksbury (middle) and Carlie
Reader (#14) celebrate Lanksbury's goal.
The 24
th-ranked Wildcats improved to 2-0-1, while Seattle Pacific dipped to 2-1-0. Chico State entered the evening ranked No. 3 in the West Region. Seattle Pacific was No. 5.
The run of play had mostly gone the Wildcats way through the first 85 minutes, but the match remained scoreless despite Chico State's 7-0 advantage in shots on goal.
But just when it looked as though the match might be headed to extra time, the Wildcats broke through.
The defining play began with a clearance toward midfield that Lindsey Dias flicked on toward the right sideline. Lanksbury timed her run perfectly, and as the ball split two defenders she ran shoulder-to-shoulder with, she touched it forward and raced ahead to get a half step on them both. Lanksbury got her foot back on the ball just outside the box, took another touch that brought the goalkeeper out a few steps, and then smashed a right-footed one-hopper inside the far post.
Lanksbury raised her right hand and index finger as she watched the ball tickle the twine, and then turned back toward the Chico State bench where she was mobbed by her teammates.
The goal was the eighth of Lanksbury's career and her first of the season. Dias delivered her 10
th career assist.
Shelby Lanksbury is mobbed by teammates after scoring the match-
winning goal against Seattle Pacific
Freshman goalkeeper Caitlyn Duval did not have to make a save in registering her second consecutive shutout.
True freshman center back Abbie Jones, who helped make sure of that, was impressive in her home debut. So were sophomore defender Korie Bozart, a transfer from UNLV, and true freshman midfielder Emily Curry.
René Weiler, Brielynn Tovani and Sarah Yang also made their home debuts, coming off the bench.
Lanksbury and Carlie Reader paced the Wildcats with four shots apiece.
Wednesday's win marked the first of three home matches in five days for the Wildcats. They'll host Holy Names Friday night at 7 p.m., and then Academy of Art Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
