CARSON, California—Desperation brought out the beast in the Chico State women's soccer team. With their backs against the wall in the race for a California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament bid following last Friday's frustrating draw against Cal State East Bay, the Wildcats rolled to their second straight 4–0 victory Thursday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills to clinch a postseason berth.
Brielynn Tovani bagged a brace, Erin Woods scored a goal and dished out two assists, Kasey Cruz scored her first collegiate goal, and Juliana Los assisted on two strikes in a 38-second span for the Wildcats.
Chico State dropped into seventh place following Friday's match. The top six advance to the CCAA Tournament. But 4–0 wins against Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday at home, and Cal State Dominguez Hills Thursday, have vaulted them into the postseason.
Kasey Cruz netted her first
collegiate goal.
The only thing left to decide is whether the Wildcats will have a first-round home match Tuesday. The top two teams receive first-round byes. The next two host a first-round match. And the fifth and sixth teams will open the postseason on the road.
Chico State, now 6-4-1 in conference play, will wrap up a first-round home game if one of the following scenarios play out:
1) The Wildcats win Saturday at Cal State LA.
2) The Wildcats tie Saturday, and Cal State San Marcos loses or draws at Cal State East Bay Saturday.
3) The Wildcats lose Saturday AND Cal Poly Pomona loses Friday night at home against Cal State San Bernardino AND Cal 3) State San Marcos loses or draws at Cal State East Bay Saturday.
Chico State also continues to make headway in its quest for an NCAA Championship Tournament berth. Ranked No. 4 in the West Region entering play, the Wildcats improved to 10-5-1 overall.
The win snapped a four-match road losing skid for the Wildcats.
Tovani broke through just in time, finding the back of the net for the first two times this season. The sophomore subbed in hoping to give the Wildcats a spark 21:31 into the match. At that point, they had just two shots. Seven minutes later they were on the board.
Woods floated a pass down the left flank for Tovani, and when the goalkeeper attempted to beat her to it, Tovani weaved around her and slotted her shot into the back of the net.
The Wildcats took the 1–0 lead into intermission, but carried the momentum into the second half. Woods set Tovani's 49th-minute goal in motion with a pass down the right flank to Pooja Patel. Her cross found its target in Tovani's right foot, and she directed it home for a 2–0 lead.
Erin Woods scored her team-leading sixth
goal of the season.
Los, another Chico State sub, sparked the Wildcats' offense for the rest of the match. Her corner kick in the 68th minute was directed back across by Korie Bozart before Woods directed it into the back of the net with a header.
Just 38 seconds later, Los's cross was headed home by freshman defender Kasey Cruz for her first collegiate goal.
Chico State's defense surrendered just four shots for the second straight match. Freshman goalkeeper Claire Abele turned away the only two that were on target as the Wildcats logged their seventh shutout of the season.
Abbie Jones and Jazmine Carranza played all 90 minutes in the back for the Wildcats. Brooke Coelho and Bozart also started on the back line. Substitute defenders Cruz and Kyle Martinez helped preserve the clean sheet.
Chico State wraps up the regular season at Cal State LA Saturday at 2 p.m. The Golden Eagles (9-3-3 overall and 7-2-2 in the CCAA) are still in the hunt for a first-round bye.
