ARCATA, Calif. — The Chico State men's soccer team defeated Cal Poly Humboldt 4-2 Thursday at College Creek Field in the season finale for both teams.
The Wildcats (4-10-4, 1-7-4 CCAA) scored three first-half goals and finished even with the Lumberjacks (2-13-3, 1-11-0 CCAA) in total shots, 19-19, while holding a 12-10 edge in shots on goal. The Wildcats' 12 shots on goal and four goals were both season highs. The Wildcats faced 15 second-half shots, recorded four saves after halftime and allowed two second-half goals.
Chico State got the game-winning goal from Logan Erba, who finished with two shots. It was Erba's first goal and first game-winning goal of the season.
Gage Harrison scored and led the Wildcats with four shots, including three on goal. Harrison's goal was his first of the season. Nickolas Molina recorded eight saves over 90 minutes, and the Wildcats recorded a season-high eight saves. Darius Dukes added a goal on two shots.
Molina handled an early Lumberjacks shot in the fifth minute, and the Wildcats moved in front after Jack Shane forced a save in the eighth minute and Dukes scored later in the eighth. The Wildcats were whistled for three fouls before Adrian Solis was shown a yellow card in the 12th minute, but after Molina saved another Lumberjacks attempt in the 13th, Harrison scored from Braedyn Brown's assist in the 14th to make it 2-0.
The Wildcats had five shots and a corner kick from the 15th through 21st minutes before the Lumberjacks answered with two shots on goal and four corner kicks from the 32nd through 34th minutes, with Molina saving both attempts. Erba added a goal off Xavier Elder's assist in the 44th minute, and the Wildcats carried a 3-0 lead into halftime. It was Elder's first assist of the season.
The Wildcats opened the second half with shots from Erba and Manoa João Monteiro before earning two corner kicks and seeing Harrison put one attempt on goal and another off the woodwork. Carter Haynes converted a penalty kick in the 57th minute to push the lead to 4-0.
The Lumberjacks forced saves from Molina and scored in the 64th minute when Azis Camerrer finished off Jai Sternhall's assist to make it 4-1. The Wildcats later had saved attempts from Simon Vaca-Lorenzi and Brown, while Molina made additional stops before Dominic Calero scored in the 87th minute, leaving the Wildcats to close out the 4-2 win.
