The Chico State women's soccer team will be doing some serious scoreboard watching this week, hoping for results that improve their odds to reach the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. But the Wildcats also know that the most important scoreboards will be the ones on the pitch at Cal State Dominguez Hills, where they'll play Thursday night at 7 p.m., and Cal State LA, where they'll play Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 4 in the West Region with a record 9-5-1. So grabbing one of the six NCAA Tournament berths allotted to the West is a possibility.
 
But the CCAA Tournament is first on the schedule, and the Wildcats' road to earning a berth is currently a traffic jam. Due to the devastating wildfires that caused the cancellation of four matches earlier this season, the six tournament berths will be awarded based on points per match. And entering the final week of the regular season, fourth-place Cal State San Marcos (1.67 points per match) and eighth-place San Francisco State (1.50) are separated by 0.17 points. In between them in fifth place are Chico State and Stanislaus State (1.60), and seventh-place Cal Poly Pomona (1.55).
 
All that is known for sure in the case of the Wildcats is this: If they win two, they are in. If they lose two, they are out.
 
The rest depends on the results of many other matches.
 
So Chico State will do its best to control its own destiny. First, the Wildcats will attempt to get a good result at Cal State Dominguez Hills, which must win Thursday to keep its own playoff hopes alive. The Toros are 4-8-2 overall and 3-5-2 in the CCAA.
 
A win in Carson would not only enhance the Wildcats' CCAA Tournament hopes, but also provided some much-needed road momentum. Still unbeaten at University Soccer Stadium, the Wildcats have struggled to a 1-5-0 record away from home.
 
Cal State LA opens the week in third place at 8-3-3 overall and 6-2-2 in the CCAA.
 
The Wildcats' games against Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State LA will be live streamed, and live stats will also be available. Links to both can be found on the top-left corner of this preview story, on the women's soccer schedule page, and in the calendar section of our homepage.