The Chico State women's soccer team won't exactly be "missing" the heat during its two-match trip to Washington this week. But the unseasonably warm weather will only be a ancillary challenge for the Wildcats, who will face Central Washington University Thursday at 1 p.m. and Seattle Pacific University Saturday at 4 p.m. in important West Region showdowns.
 
Links to live stats and streaming video are available via the links above, in the calendar section of our homepage, and on the women's soccer schedule page.
 
The Wildcats head north with a record of 1-0-1, having hammered Academy of Art 6-0 Thursday at home and played to a scoreless draw at Fresno Pacific Sunday to open the season. Sophomore Mikayla Robertson earned California Collegiate Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week honors after logging two goals and an assist Thursday. And the Wildcats' defense was in strong form. They did not allow a single shot against Academy of Art and limited Fresno Pacific to just nine.
 
Thursday's temperature in Ellensburg, Washington, is forecast to reach a high of 96 degrees. The Washington-based Wildcats will be playing their season opener following a 5-13-0 campaign in 2021.
 
Chico State has won all six of the previous meetings between these teams. The last meeting came in 2010. Chico State won 2-1 behind goals by Lisa Webster and Molly Downtain (*humble brag alert* who is now the General Manager of San Diego Wave FC, which currently sits atop the National Women's Soccer League table in its inaugural season).
 
Saturday in Seattle looks to be pretty dreamy with a forecasted high of only 77. "Nice with clouds and sun" reads the accuweather.com description. Ugh. But we digress. The forecast for the matchup is likely to be a little stormy. The match has been decided by a goal or less each of the last nine times these teams have met.  
 
Seattle Pacific, which went 19-2-1 last season and advanced to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals, is the Great Northwest Athletic Conference coaches' pick to win the GNAC title. The Falcons will host San Francisco State Thursday night at 7 p.m. to open their season.