TURLOCK, Calif. - The Pieri sisters connect again to lift the Wildcats to another win in their final non-conference game against the Warriors. Chico State improved to 5-2, only dropping two matches throughout the non-conference portion of their schedule.
Opening the scoring in the 20th minute was Avery Pieri, scoring her third of the season off of an outstanding cross from Piper Matson. Matson picked a back post run of Pieri, who simply needed to connect with the whipped-in cross.
In her second start of the season, Peyton Johnson made six saves for the Wildcats, keeping the Warriors at bay throughout much of the match.
The Wildcats nearly doubled their lead many times but couldn't catch the Warriors keeper sleeping, Jiana Martin firing off two chances in her second start of the season.
It was in the 84th minute that the Warriors found a response, just slipping an attempt past Chico off a conceded corner, drawing the game level with only six minutes left.
The Warriors celebrated a little too early because the Pieri sisters knew with plenty of time left on the clock that anything could happen. Only a minute later, after snatching the ball from the Warriors in their defensive third, the Wildcats pushed past exhaustion to move the ball on a counter toward the home side's net. After overpowering a Warriors midfielder, Klayre Barres found the ball at her feet and played an impeccable through ball down the left side of the box to a dashing Avery Pieri.
A left-footed cross from her sister and Hannah Pieri was able to blow past a tracking defender to power the ball in the back of the net with her entire body. She took back the lead for the Wildcats and scored her first goal of the season.
After concluding their non-conference schedule, Chico State will return home next week to begin their conference campaign against tough CCAA opponents, battling for another appearance in the conference tournament in November. Friday, Sept. 29, at 4:30 p.m., the Wildcats will take on Cal State East Bay in their second matchup after their exhibition in late August.
