The men’s soccer team won 2-1 against the Academy of Art in their second exhibition game of the season.

Chico State men’s soccer faced off against the Academy of Art on Aug. 25 on the ‘Cats home field, and were able to net their first win of the year.

The game was the last of the Wildcat’s exhibition match ups, with their first game resulting in a 2-1 loss against the UC Davis Aggies.

The ‘Cats were able to seal their win with just 30 seconds left in the second half, as a shot from midfield found the net. The goal came just six minutes after the Academy of Art had managed to force a 1-1 tie.

While the ending of the game remained close, the beginning was far from it. Chico State gained a 1-0 lead just seven minutes into the game, thanks to a score by senior forward Rajaee DeLane.

With the early lead, the ‘Cats played an aggressive form of soccer, which resulted in a yellow card for Chico State and a fight breaking out in the first half. The fight quickly dissipated as the referees were able to separate the teams.

Neither team was able to capitalize on their penalty or corner kicks, despite both teams having several opportunities. The ‘Cats accrued more fouls than the Academy of Art, but were given more penalty kicks.

Both teams displayed phenomenal defense through out the game, and neither was able to maintain control of the ball for a majority of either half. The stalemate prevented either team from taking quality shots, as they tried to make plays from midfield.

The Wildcats have two consecutive home games coming up. The first against Western Washington University signaling the start of their regular season. The game will be on Sept. 1, but will not count toward their league record.

Chico State begins league play on Sept. 16 against San Francisco State University, and will be playing away for their first four league games.

Kenta McAfee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @KentaMcAfee