UC San Diego barely got a peek at a good scoring opportunity in Chico State's 2-0 victory in the opening round of the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament Tuesday night at University Soccer Stadium. What the Tritons did get over the last four days is a good look at a Chico State team that might be peaking at just the right time.
 
Alex Fluitt scored his first collegiate goal just 2:21 into the match and Justin Bethke netted a set-piece header in the 56^th minute as the Wildcats snapped a string of two straight heartbreaking first-round CCAA Tournament losses.
 
The match was nearly a carbon copy of the Wildcats' 2-0 win over the Tritons in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday in Chico. UC San Diego entered that match with only two losses on the season and ranked No. 13 in the nation.
 
But the Wildcats—now 13-4-1—beat them soundly twice, first earning a first-round CCAA Tournament home match as the No. 3 seed, and then winning the right to face second-seeded Cal State LA Friday at 4:30 p.m. in a CCAA Tournament semifinal match in La Jolla on the campus of UC San Diego. In doing so, the Wildcats may have ended the Tritons' season.

 

The NCAA Championship Tournament field will be announced Monday at 3 p.m. UC San Diego was ranked No. 3 in the West Region and Chico State was No. 8 when the regional rankings were last released. But the Wildcats have gone 3-0 since then, while UC San Diego has dropped two of three.
 
The Tritons managed only two shots in the first half Tuesday and two shots on goal in the entire match. Neither was especially challenging for Wildcats goalkeeper Damion Lewis. The senior enjoyed a light-duty evening in registering his 23^rd career shutout to tie Sam Evans' (2010-13) Chico State record. He also moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time wins list with his 31^st.
 
The Wildcats have now won three straight via shutout and seven (all via shutout) of their last eight. They have not allowed a goal in regulation since Sept. 30.
 
So, when Fluitt found the back of the net just 2:21 into the match, they felt good about their chances.
 
Chico State defender Joshua Belda set the match-winner in motion, chipping a long pass over the defense down the left flank that bounced once before Jeremiah Egujie headed it forward. With a half step on the defenders that flanked him on either side, Egujie continued his run toward the end line, driving a ball across the mouth of the goal with two feet to spare. Fluitt was finishing a long run up the middle of the pitch and slid with two feet in the air to make sure he made contact, deflecting the ball off of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
 
It was Fluitt's first collegiate goal. The junior from Benicia has had some very near misses in recent weeks.

"I can't be more proud of him. He's been our biggest workhorse and he's been a little snakebitten," Chico State Head Coach Felipe Restrepo told Sharon Martin of the Chico Enterprise-Record. "We even said it in the locker room — it's coming and it'll come in a big moment. He scored a big goal for us today."

"It feels great to help get my team into the next round," Fluitt said. "I knew it would come eventually. My teammates kept showing confidence in me playing great balls into the box and I'm glad I got on the end of one. Jeremiah played a great ball and I just made sure to get the touch on it.

"It's been a long time coming. I've just been waiting for it and I knew it would come eventually," Fluitt told Martin. "I'm glad I got it tonight … I'm glad I got the curse lifted."

Egujie's assist was his second of the season and second in the last four days. Belda's assist was his second of the season.
 
Bethke's goal was his second of the season and both have come in the last four days. (Tuesday's was assisted by Egujie.)
 
Egujie was fouled to set up the free kick. He posted up on a defender, and when he tried to turn after receiving the ball, the two got tangled up and a foul was whistled on the Tritons. Fabian Roman's free kick came from just five yards beyond the top-right corner of the 18-yard box. The senior midfielder delivered his second set-piece assist in the last four days, lofting the ball toward the top-left corner of the six-yard box. Bethke slow-played the ball, and after two defenders went with the first Wildcat to crash the box, he was left alone to rise up and deposit the ball inside the far post with a header from six yards out.
 
The winner of Friday's Chico State–Cal State LA matchup will face either Cal Poly Pomona or Cal State San Bernardino in Sunday's 2 p.m. tournament title match. The CCAA Tournament champion earns automatic qualification into the NCAA Championship Tournament.
 
Cal State LA (12-2-3 and ranked No. 25 in the nation) beat the Wildcats 1-0 on Sept. 14 in Chico. Since that night, the Wildcats have won 11 of 13, outscoring their opponents 19-4 along the way.
 

Read Sharon Martin's Enterprise-Record recap HERE.