CHICO, Calif. — In the CCAA's first year of implementing video assistant referee (VAR), it proved to be beneficial for both the Chico State and Cal State East Bay men's soccer teams in the first conference match of the season Friday evening.
The referee used the video assistance to award at least three penalty kicks. Chico State capitalized on one and East Bay was given two chances, one was stopped by Nickolas Molina, as the two teams left University Soccer Stadium with an emotional 1-1 draw at University Soccer Stadium.
Simon Vaca-Lorenzi put the Wildcats ahead in the 76th minute, but the match finished level as both teams recorded 10 shots and six shots on goal. The second half was physical.
Molina played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded five saves. Molina stopped the first penalty kick but was unsuccessful in the second attempt. Darius Dukes added three shots, putting two on goal, while Adrian Solis placed both of his two attempts on frame.
The 'Cats (3-3-1, 0-0-1 CCAA) created the first shot on goal in the fifth minute, when Dukes forced East Bay keeper Adan Corona into a save, and Solis put another attempt on frame after a corner in the 22nd minute. East Bay (0-5-2, 0-0-1 CCAA) generated a corner and a shot from Alejandro Zarate that went wide, but the Wildcats came back with corners at the 26th and 30th minutes before Vaca-Lorenzi and Dukes missed attempts wide. Julian Valle put the Pioneers best chance of the half on frame in the 36th minute, with Molina making the save, and the final 10 minutes included a run of fouls and a yellow card to Liam Miller. The Wildcats earned two more late corners and got a shot from Cooper Stephens before the half ended without a goal.
Cal State East Bay created the first second-half chances, including a saved shot by Alejandro Zarate at 46:20 and another attempt from Caleb Yoon in the 50th minute, before the Wildcats began building pressure through set pieces.
The 'Cats earned four corner kicks from 51:47 to 59:32 and later added another push with Carter Haynes forcing a save at 73:14 and Solis putting a shot on frame at 75:25. After video review in the box that confirmed a Pioneer foul, Vaca-Lorenzi converted a penalty kick at 75:37 to give Chico State a 1-0 lead. Following another video review in the 80th minute that favored a penalty kick for the Pioneers, Molina stopped Zarate's attempt to keep the score 1-0. However, another video review in the 82nd awarded another penalty kick to the Pioneers, only this time it was Jefferson Parada who beat Molina to tie the game.
The Wildcats will welcome CCAA newcomer Menlo to University Soccer Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff.
