As Head Coach Felipe said when the final horn sounded on Chico State's 1-0 loss to Sonoma State Friday afternoon: "We had our chances." The Wildcats did. And just as importantly, they gave Sonoma State one too many. A giveaway near their own goal led to a great look for Sonoma State's Bryan Rosales, whose shot clanged off the far post and deflected off a Chico State defender and in for an own goal.
 
That 14^th-minute goal was the only one of the match. Chico State had 11 shots, including four that were on goal and saved, and eight corners. But the Wildcats could not get one past Sonoma State goalkeeper Reinier Ter Riet, who posted his third clean sheet of the season. Chico State slipped to 5-9-0 overall and 4-5-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association while Sonoma State snapped a four-match losing streak, moving to 6-8-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the CCAA.
 
The match was played on the artificial turf at Pleasant Valley High School on what was a mostly gorgeous day, though a brief thunderstorm led to an extended halftime before the teams could re-enter the stadium. That was after the match had been first rescheduled from Sunday morning to Sunday afternoon and then pushed back again until Monday in order to avoid Sunday's fierce rainstorm.
 
A win would have propelled the Wildcats into fifth place in the CCAA standings. Instead, they are in sixth place with three matches to play. Six teams will earn a berth in the CCAA's postseason tournament. Chico State will be at Cal State L.A. Friday and Cal Poly Pomona Sunday (the CCAA's first and second-place teams, respectively) before returning home to face fifth-place Humboldt State on Thursday, November 4, to wrap up the regular season.