CHICO, Calif. — The Chico State soccer team made a valiant effort to find a goal near the final whistle, but the eighth-ranked University of Colorado, Colorado Springs kept the slate clean to beat the Wildcats 2-0 on a warm Sunday afternoon to finish the non-conference schedule.
The Wildcats, now with a record of 1-4-0, took eight of their 10 shots after halftime, but the Mountain Lions finished with an 8-3 edge in shots on goal. UCCS had much control of the possession throughout the match.
Charlotte Mailer recorded six saves over 90 minutes in goal. The Wildcats achieved a season-high of six saves in the game. Yulisa Reyes led the 'Cats with three shots. Makayla Quesada finished with two shots, putting one on goal. Baylee Gregerson also tallied two shots with one on goal.
Charlotte Mailer kept the Wildcats level in the opening minutes, saving Abby Stassi's shot at 6:05 before Gregerson sent an attempt high at 7:26 and the Wildcats earned a corner at 9:14.
The Mountain Lions generated the next sustained stretch, with Stassi adding a shot at 11:20, two corner kicks following, and Mailer saving another Stassi attempt at 15:51.
After a Mountain Lions corner at 31:25 and Mailer's save on Elise Broberg at 33:05, Reyes put a shot over the top for the 'Cats at 39:07, but Brooke Pavlich scored for the Mountain Lions at 41:13 off assists from Sophia Broberg and Stassi. Mailer added a save on Stassi at in the final minute, and the Mountain Lions took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Mountain Lions made it 2-0 at 47:07 when Taylynn Levi scored off an assist from Steffi Thomas on a free kick. The Wildcats pushed forward after the goal, getting shots from Ava Jara, Jamie Maas and Reyes before adding two corner kicks and saved attempts from Aiyana Finley and Quesada during a stretch through 67:30.
The Mountain Lions had the next run of pressure with two corner kicks and three shots between 68:51 and 80:22, with Charlotte Mailer saving attempts by Charlize Ellsworth and Ally Henry.
The closing minutes included fouls from both sides, a yellow card to the Mountain Lions and a saved Gregerson shot at 89:32, but the Wildcats could not cut into the deficit in a 2-0 loss. Chico State had a couple of close chances within the final minutes, including a free kick shot by Gregerson in the 90th, with UCCS keeper Lucy Kapranos making the save by pushing the ball over the crossbar.
The Wildcats open CCAA play hosting Cal State East Bay on Friday at 4 p.m. at University Soccer Stadium.
