SEASIDE, Calif. – A wild night in Seaside ended with the Wildcats earning a shot at the CCAA Championship title behind a stunning performance from Makayla Cruz-Martinez. In what marks Kim Sutton's final CCAA Tournament at the helm following a remarkable 25-year career leading the program, her squad extended it's season in dramatic overtime fashion.
The opening half was a wave of Wildcat opportunities, as the No. 2–seeded 'Cats found space to create along the wings. Laila Hadid was particularly dangerous in the first 45 minutes, nearly breaking the deadlock with a close-range effort that clipped the crossbar.
Deadlocked at halftime, Chico State continued to apply relentless pressure but couldn't find the back of the net. Against the run of play, the Warriors earned a penalty kick early in the second half and converted to take a 1–0 lead. With over 40 minutes remaining, the Wildcats refused to back down.
Chico State dominated possession and kept the Warriors pinned in their own half, outshooting them 20–8 on the night. The Wildcat defense remained steady, allowing only three shots per half — just one of which required saves from goalkeeper Kennedy Briseno.
The breakthrough came in the 81st minute thanks to the All-CCAA Second Team striker Cruz-Martinez. A long free kick launched toward the Warriors' goal was mishandled by the keeper, and Cruz-Martinez was there to pounce, slamming home the rebound for the equalizer and forcing overtime.
In the 107th minute, Cruz-Martinez struck again — delivering the golden goal to seal a 2–1 overtime victory and send the Wildcats to the CCAA Championship match. Freshman Kennedy Briseno secured the win in net for Chico State, called to action only a single time to secure the Wildcats victory.
Chico State will now face No. 5 seed Cal Poly Humboldt in the CCAA Championship Final on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Seaside. Fans can tune in live on FloCollege to watch Kim Sutton and the Wildcats battle for the conference crown, looking to secure the automatic qualifier into the NCAA West Regional Tournament. This will be the first time since 2014 that the Wildcats will battle for the CCAA Title against Cal State LA.
