LOS ANGELES—The Chico State women's soccer team was forced to settle for three points on its California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA)-opening road trip after dropping a tightly-contested 1-0 decision at Cal State LA Sunday afternoon.
 
The Wildcats nearly grabbed a first-half lead and then nearly equalized late in the second half after the Golden Eagles' goal, but instead fell to 5-2-1 overall and 1-1-0 in the CCAA.
 
Cal State LA got the game's lone goal on Lauren Sanchez's 66^th-minute header, assisted by Irma Pinzon, to improve to 5-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the CCAA.  
 
The Wildcats came within a big toe of taking an early lead. Chloe King ran onto Jordan Doukakis' long pass deep inside the 18-yard box near the far post and ahead of the last defender. King pulled the ball back across to her right foot as a defender slipped past and then hit a blast that was ticketed for inside the near post that the keeper got her right boot on.
 
Chico State's next best scoring chance came with just 5:30 to play and proved to be its last. Sarah Emigh took a pass from Jordan Doukakis and got around one defender and another, who was actually the last, right at the top of the box. She had a step on two other defenders who were five yards to her right and left. With a clear path toward the goal, the Cal State LA defender grabbed her from behind, attempting to pull her down.  
 
The defender was whistled for a foul but was not carded despite the fact that Garcia was alone behind the defense. King's try on the free kick sailed over the net.
 
The Wildcats will hit the road again next weekend for matches at Humboldt State and San Francisco State. After that, they will play five of their final eight CCAA matches at home.