Pooja Patel cemented her spot as one of the top 10 scorers in Chico State women's soccer history Friday night with one of her most memorable strikes yet—a bullet from 22 yards out that took a slight touch off a defender and knuckled into the back of the net for the match winner in the 87^th minute of a 1–0 victory over visiting San Francisco State Friday night at University Soccer Stadium.
 
Patel is now tied for ninth in program history with 48 points (15 goals and 18 assists), having leapfrogged Katherine Bagwell and Denise Butticci into a tie with Brenda Bell.
 
The Wildcats, who improved to 5-3-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), were in danger of seeing a match they thoroughly dominated head into overtime before Patel and freshmen Sarah Emigh and Lia Kilgore teamed up for the winner. Emigh won an errant clearance just inside the midfield stripe. She sparked the counter quickly with a pass to Kilgore, who pinged it on to Patel. The senior did the rest, taking one touch before her left-booted banger.
 
Now 4-0 at home, the Wildcats snapped San Francisco State's five-match winning streak. The Gators were playing their first CCAA contest of the season and dipped to 5-2-0 overall.

 
The Wildcats enjoyed an 8-2 advantage in first-half shots and goalkeeper Claire Abele went unchallenged. Chico State also doubled up the Gators in the corner kick department, 4-2.
 
Abele was tested 13 minutes into the second half on a shot from distance ticketed to the far upper-V, but she was up to the task with a diving stop to her left.
 
That was the only save the freshman keeper was forced to stop. The Gators only mustered four shots on the night against the Wildcats' back line of Abbie Jones, Jazmine Carranza, Korie Bozart, and Brooke Coelho.
 
Emigh and Kilgore nearly put the Wildcats ahead on a pair of occasions late in the match. They played a beautiful combination down the middle of the pitch with 15 minutes remaining, but Kilgore's blast from the top of the box rolled just wide.
 
Emigh's dime to Kilgore with six minutes remaining left her in a dangerous position near the top-right corner of the 18-yard box. Kilgore's quick turn drew a foul just outside the area, but Bozart's ensuing blast soared just over the crossbar.
 
Chico State finished with 17 shots on the night, including six that were on frame. The Wildcats also enjoyed a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
 
Chico State will take its two-match winning streak to Humboldt State next Friday at 12:30 p.m. They'll finish the weekend at rival Sonoma State Sunday at 11:30 a.m.