CHICO, Calif. — The Chico State men's soccer team played Cal Poly Pomona to a 2-2 draw on Wildcat FANatics Friday evening at University Soccer Stadium.
The Wildcats (3-5-3, 0-2-3 CCAA) held Cal Poly Pomona (3-3-4, 1-1-2 CCAA) without a first-half shot, but Cal Poly Pomona took all eight of its shots after halftime and scored twice.
Simon Vaca-Lorenzi scored and led Chico State with three shots, including two on goal. Jack Shane added a goal on his only shot attempt, marking his first goal of the season. Carter Haynes recorded an assist. Jovan Radovic also tallied an assist, which was his first of the season.
The first half opened with several fouls, including a yellow card to Darius Dukes in the 15th minute, before the 'Cats created the first recorded chance on Vaca-Lorenzi's shot in the 16th minute and a corner kick shortly thereafter.
Play stayed choppy through the middle of the half, with both sides called for fouls during a scoreless stretch that also included Cal Poly Pomona being ruled offside in the 25th minute. The Wildcats broke through in the 37th minute when Radovic sent a loose ball from Chico State's box toward midfield and Vaca-Lorenzi beat a defender, broke away, and finished a 1-on-1 with Kaden Gust for a 1-0 lead.
Gage Harrison put another shot on frame in the 41st minute and had a later attempt miss high left in the 44th minute, and the Wildcats carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime.
Cal Poly Pomona pressed early in the second half with shots in the 53rd minute and a corner in between, before Vaca-Lorenzi put Chico State's first shot of the half on frame in the 55th minute. The visitors added another corner and shot, but the Wildcats extended the lead to 2-0 in the 63rd minute when Shane scored off Haynes' assist; Cal Poly Pomona answered with a corner and a Victor Casillas shot less than a minute later.
The half became foul-heavy from the 74th minute through the 81st minute, and Cal Poly Pomona cut the margin in the 83rd minute when Aleksandar Somov scored from Clement Badger before adding pressure with a Somov shot and an 88th-minute corner. Marvin Gamez scored off Somov's assist with 10 seconds left, leaving the match tied 2-2 at the end of the second half.
Up next, the Wildcats host Cal State LA on Sunday at 11 a.m.
