Men's Soccer | 10/29/2019 6:00:00 PM

Sometime in the wee hours of Thursday morning, the Chico State men's soccer team will arrive back on campus following Wednesday night's 7 p.m. showdown with Stanislaus State. They'll step off the bus and head home for a few hours of sleep before Thursday classes. The sidewalk in front of the Acker Gym 3-minute zone will feel especially good beneath their tired feet. After playing seven of their first nine California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) matches on the road, the Wildcats will be home for the duration of the regular season.
 
That is not to suggest that they aren't hoping to board busses again this season. In fact, they'd love nothing more than to travel to the CCAA Tournament and NCAA Tournament. How they fare in their final four conference clashes, beginning with Wednesday's match at Stanislaus State and Sunday's 2 p.m. home showdown versus rival Sonoma State, will dictate whether they get one or both opportunities.
 
Links to streaming video and live stats for both games are available on the top-right corner of this preview story, on the men's soccer schedule page, and in the calendar section on our homepage.
 
Chico State is currently 8-4-0 overall and 4-4-0 in the CCAA and sitting in sole possession of sixth place in the conference standings. The top six teams will reach the CCAA Tournament. The top two receive first-round byes, while the No. 3 team hosts the No. 6 team and the No. 4 team hosts the No. 5 team in first-round action.
 
At 3-10 overall and 0-8 in conference play, Stanislaus State is no longer in the CCAA Tournament hunt. However, Sonoma State is still very much in the mix at 5-7-1 overall and 3-4-0 in conference play heading into their matchup with Stanislaus State Friday night.
 
The winner of the CCAA Tournament earns an automatic berth into the 10-team NCAA Championship Tournament West/South Central Super Regional. Four more automatic bids will be awarded in the Super Region, while five teams will earn at-large bids.
 
Chico State is currently No. 7 in the West Region in the United Soccer Coaches rankings. However, the official NCAA Regional Rankings are scheduled to be revealed for the first time this season early tomorrow afternoon and will shed more light on the Wildcats' NCAA Championship Tournament prospects. They hope their tough schedule—they've played six of their 12 matches against teams currently ranked among the United Soccer Coaches West Region top 10, including four away from home—and a strong finish will be enough for strong consideration.