Chico State's women's soccer coaches and players know two things about the rest of their season: they will be playing at Cal Poly Humboldt Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in the team's regular-season finale; and in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament. But who, where, and when all remain up in the air, to be decided when the dust settles following the CCAA's final regular-season matchday.
 
The Wildcats could claim the CCAA title or a first-round bye with a win and some help. They would clinch no worse than a first-round home match (which would take place Sunday at 11:30 a.m.) with a win. Or they could be on the road for a first-round match somewhere between San Diego and Santa Rosa should they lose.
 
Thursday's 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 women'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 top six teams in the CCAA standings are separated by just four points. Sonoma State and Stanislaus State are tied at the top with 20 points, Cal State LA has 19, and Chico State 18. Any of those teams could emerge as champion. Meanwhile, Cal State San Marcos and Cal Poly Pomona are in control of their own fate with 16 points apiece, while Cal Poly Humboldt hovers two points behind, hoping to pounce should one of them falter.
 
Chico State, which beat Humboldt 1-0 earlier this season in a non-conference game, is 8-3-5 overall and 5-2-3 in the CCAA. The Lumberjacks are 6-4-6 overall and 3-2-5 in conference play. They are unbeaten at home, sporting a record of 5-0-3 at College Creek Field, and have lost only once in their previous eight outings overall.
 
Piper Matson's 10^th-minute goal, assisted by Susanna Garcia, proved to be the match winner when these teams met on Sept. 17 in Chico. The Chico State defense held Humboldt to six shots, three of which were saved by Wildcats goalkeeper Emma Hofmann. It marked one of Hofmann's CCAA-leading 10 shutouts this season, and one of the team's 11, the fourth most in Division II.
 
The win was the Wildcats' 10^th in their last 12 meetings against Humboldt. They're 3-1-1 in their past five in Arcata. But none of those wins would be more important, or more impressive, than Thursday's if the Wildcats can get it.