The Chico State men's soccer team nearly picked up its biggest win of the season, but instead settled for a 1-1 draw with 3rd-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday at University Soccer Stadium. Adrian Fontanelli found the back of the net with a wonderful free kick for the first-half equalizer, and despite some promising second-half chances for both sides, that's how the score finished.
 
Unbeaten in their last six and having tied their last three, the Wildcats are now 6-3-7 overall and 3-1-5 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Cal State Dominguez Hills, one of six unbeaten teams remaining in NCAA Division II entering play this week, is now 11-0-5 and 5-0-4 in conference play. 
 
The Wildcats host Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in a match that could put one of those teams in the drivers' seat for the right to host a first-round home CCAA Tournament match.
 
Chico State is currently in fifth place in the conference with 14 points, but trails Cal State LA and Cal State Monterey Bay—tied for third—by only one point. Cal Poly Pomona leads the race for the regular-season conference crown with 21 points. Cal State Dominguez Hills slipped into second place Friday with 19 points. But both of those teams clinched postseason berths Friday. Cal State San Marcos is sixth with 11 points. The top six teams following the end of the regular season will advance to the CCAA Tournament. The top two teams earn first-round byes into the semifinals. The second two teams earn first-round home matches, set for Sunday, October 30. And the fifth- and sixth-place teams will be on the road for those first-round matches.
 
Chico State would clinch a CCAA Tournament berth with a win either Sunday or next Thursday at Cal Poly Humboldt in its regular-season finale. Two wins would guarantee the Wildcats no worse than a first-round home match.
 
Luis Albarran and the Chico State defense again showed that it's up for the task. Albarran made five saves for the Wildcats, who were outshot 13-12. Chico State has only allowed more than one goal once this season.
 
Prior to Sunday's match a Senior Day ceremony celebrating the careers of seniors Donovan Jackson and Albarran will take place at approximately 11:20 a.m. 
 
The ceremony and match will be broadcast on the CCAA Network and live stats are also available. Links can be found at www.chicowildcats.com in the calendar section on the homepage and on the men's soccer schedule page. Access to the live video stream requires a subscription fee that grants users access to every CCAA event on the network, home and away.
 
The Wildcats have lost only once in their last 12 matches and are ranked No. 7 in the West Region by the United Soccer Coaches. Cal State Dominguez Hills, which has now played to three consecutive draws as well, entered this weekend ranked No. 1 in the West.
 
The Toros looked the part early in Friday's match, controlling the early going while taking five of the match's first six shots. Their fifth shot gave them a 1-0 lead. Sulaiman Bah put them on the doorstep with a nifty move near the left corner end line and dangerous cross. It looked as though Chico State would handle it, but the defender shanked an attempted clearance in the box, and when it fell to Martin Valasquez, he knocked it home in the 23^rd minute.
 
The Wildcats answered in the latter stages of the half. Their goal was set in motion by an aggressive run into the heart of the Toros defense by Kameron Kascht. Kascht drew a foul 26 yards out from the mouth of the goal, setting the stage for Fontanelli's fanfare. The junior midfielder spun his shot over the keeper and just under the crossbar for his third goal of the campaign.