Kristoffer Brown did not start Chico State's 3-0 win at Dominican Thursday afternoon. But man did he finish! Brown netted the team's second hat trick in eight days and 26^th all time, needing just 51 minutes of action to do so, in leading the Wildcats to victory against the previously-unbeaten Penguins at Kennelly Field in San Rafael.
 
It was the Wildcats' first hat trick since teammate Miles Rice accomplished the feat a week previously in a 6-1 win against Simon Fraser last Thursday. Brown, the 22^nd Wildcats to score a hat trick, also scored against Saint Martin's and now leads the team with four goals this season. The sophomore from Sacramento has five goals in his career, all of which have come in his previous seven appearances for the Wildcats, and undoubtedly the best mustache on the team (sorry Justin Ricketts: yours is nice as well).
 
Strength, composure, and an unrelenting spirit appeared to be the three keys to Brown's success. He used his strength to get into the right position, stayed composed when things got rattled (especially the woodwork), and just kept driving toward the goal. Brown took seven shots in all, two of which found the woodwork, another that was saved, and three more that found the back of the net in helping the Wildcats improve to 2-2-1.
 
Two of those goals came in the final four minutes of the match. Prior to that, it was the Wildcats defense and goalkeeping that starred. Dominican entered the match 3-0 having scored nine goals, including at least two in every match. The Wildcats limited the Penguins to only 10 shots, however, and goalkeeper Luis Albarran nabbed four saves in logging the team's second shutout of the season. Defenders Trevor Fritz and Avery Huggins played 90 minutes apiece on the back line.
 
The Wildcats have not lacked for chances this season, having out-shot each of their five opponents. They've just haven't always had the most effective final touch. That was again the case early Thursday as their first three shots were on target were saved, and then Kameron Kascht and Brown each hit the woodwork. Brown and the Wildcats finally broke through in the 40^th minute, however, even though the woodwork would come into play once again.
 
Liam Duerksen won control of a throw-in in Chico State's attacking half and passed back to Colby Allard. Allard took a touch and then punched a toe pass into the box, catching a defender flat-footed and putting Brown into space with only the goalkeeper to beat. Brown played a quick shot with the outside of his right foot that clanged off the pole, but he never quit moving, even when he was tripped up and taken down by the keeper. Brown got quickly back to his feet to hit a left-footed shot between a sliding defender and diving keeper and into the back of the net from eight yards away.
 
Though Dominican was limited to four shots in the stanza, the match remained tense deep into the second half. Albarran made a pair of saves to preserve the one-goal lead before Brown put the match away with two goals in the span of 2:19.
 
The Wildcats took advantage of a pressing Penguins squad to score in transition and make it 2-0 in the 87^th minute. Dawson White cleared a corner with a header that made its way out to Ben Souza in space on the right side of the pitch. Souza dribbled ahead and then angled a long pass up and across the field to White, who had taken off on a sprint when he saw nothing but green space in front of him. White ran the ball down, took two aggressive dribbles ahead and then laid a pass across the top of the 6-yard box to Brown. His first try was slowed by the keeper, but Brown plowed ahead and pounded the deflected shot home from three yards out.
 
Brown was initially denied the hat trick when Chico State nearly scored in transition again in the 89^th minute. But again, he persevered. Trevor Fritz headed a cross out of danger and forward to Brown, who chipped a ball to Duerksen into space down the left flank. Duerksen switched the ball to Justin Ricketts on the right side, and Ricketts passed the ball back across the box to Brown just eight yards out. The keeper used his outstretched left boot to deny Brown's try, but it would not be his last. Souza won the attempted clearance that followed and touched the ball ahead to Ricketts on the right flank. Ricketts got to the edge of the 18 near the end line and got off a cross. Brown again arrived right on time, lunging with his right boot to deflect the ball home. He raced toward the Chico State bench where his teammates sprinted to meet and embrace him, his shirt ripped off his back and his name in the history books.
 
The Wildcats will be back home Sunday at face Holy Names at 2 p.m. Links to streaming video and livestats are available at www.chicowildcats.com.
 
Wildcat Hat Tricks
Kristoffer Brown — 9/8/22
Miles Rice – 9/1/22
Mikey Hirsch – 11/7/19
Jacob Chong – 10/30/19
Andrew McCombs – 10/20/17
Jeremiah Egujie – 9/17/17
Omar Nuño –9/3/16
Omar Nuño – 10/2/15
Benjamin Moukoko – 9/17/08
Spencer Stanton – 10/3/04
Chris Wondolowski – 10/20/01
Arturo Barragan – 10/26/99
Arturo Barragan – 9/7/99
Matt Roberson – 10/30/98
Mat Kearney – 9/24/97
Kely Jacobsen – 11/2/94
Kevin Eagleston – 11/7/92
Michael Cruickshank – 10/27/92
Michael Cruickshank – 10/2/89
Kurt Lundberg – 1/27/89
Fritz Libby – 0/27/89
Scott Wulferdinger – 0/27/89
Ben Pollock – 9/24/88
Otey Cannon – 1971
Otey Cannon – 10/11/71
Fernando Espinar – 1968