SEASIDE, Calif. - A team effort that saw three Wildcats finding the back of the net claims Chico State men's soccer's second win in a row on the road. After taking down the Gators in San Francisco 2-0 on Friday, the 'Cats added a 3-0 win to their results list over the Otters in Seaside.
Chico State's second win on the road improves their record to a 2-0-2 CCAA record, 8-1-2 overall. The Wildcats are now undefeated in 10 straight games, gaining essential points on the road that will prove crucial late into the conference season.
The Wildcats have shown a consistent effort to take control of the game in the second half during the CCAA season, scoring five goals over the weekend in the final half.Â
Emanuel Padilla earned his fourth shutout of the season, making five crucial saves to keep the Otters out of the game on Sunday.
The Wildcats' set pieces were dangerous territory on Sunday, as two of the three goals scored by the visiting team were from corner kicks. Carson Zarate was the first Wildcat to score with a powerful header in the 54th minute, with a great ball swung in from Bryan Manriquez.
Ten minutes later, in the 66th minute, Sylas Sells was the second player to connect with a corner ball, heading the ball into the back left netting to double the Wildcats lead.
Chico State dominated Sunday's matchup, with Miles Rice constantly battering the home side, firing two shots in the second half that forced a desperate save from the Otters' keeper.
Sealing the win for the Wildcats, Preston Moll scored his third free kick of the season with an impressive left-footed strike from the right side of the box that snuck into the near post. Moll has three goals in the season, all from free kicks, which is impressive for any player.
With the win in Seaside, the Wildcats now jump into a tie for fifth place with the Toros with 8 points.Â
The next chance to watch the Wildcats is this Thursday, October 17th, as they take on the Seawolves from Sonoma State at home. Kickoff against the Seawolves is at 4:30 p.m. at University Soccer Stadium.
