CHICO, Calif. - A last-minute goal from the visiting Golden Eagles that resulted in a 1-0 conference loss still provides positive for the Wildcats to take into the CCAA season.

Chico State women's soccer (3-2-3) was coming off of a senior day spectacular against Stanislaus State on Saturday as they opened up the season against CSLA. 

The Golden Eagles (4-0-3) entered Friday night's matchup without dropping a game this season, boasting ties against strong PacWest competitors Point Loma and Hawaii-Hilo.

Throughout much of the match, the 'Cats were on equal, if not better, footing than the visiting Golden Eagles, outshooting the visitors with seven shots on goal to their single chance that ended up being the sole goal.

The solid offensive effort from the Wildcats was constantly snuffed out by a strong defensive effort from the visitors and a keeper that made seven big saves.

Despite the scoreline, the Wildcats continue to show they are dangerous offensively, with Avery Pieri and Caroline Souza firing three shots each. Pieri had multiple venomous shots fired at the Golden Eagles keeper, but the visiting keeper was adept at positioning herself in the right spot to keep it out of her net.

The Chico State defense did an impressive job holding the Golden Eagles to a single shot on goal through much of the match. The freshman outside defenders played a substantial role in shutting down the CSLA offense from the wings. 

Natalie Mendoza and Brynn Howard were strong presences in the midfield for the Wildcats, creating opportunities for their forwards and controlling the game in the center of the park.

Chico State women's soccer is back at University Soccer Stadium this Sunday in their second conference match against Cal State Dominguez Hills. They are looking to nab their first set of points in conference play. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on FloFC.