Match Highlights
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – For the second time this weekend, Humboldt State men's soccer put a quick end to bonus action. Chuck Pitts completed his hat trick with his third goal of the match 3:37 into the first overtime to give the Lumberjacks a 3-2 victory over Sonoma State Sunday afternoon.
 
Tied at 2-2, the Jacks' Jacob Bechtel booted a free kick to the front of the goal. A Seawolf defender tried to clear the ball only to have Pitts gather the attempt and fire the game-winning shot into the net moments later.
 
"To say this is a huge win for us, may be an understatement. Our guys fought so hard today and earned a victory against a very strong Sonoma State team," said HSU Head Coach Fred Jungemann. "Today was far from our best performance, but Sonoma State certainly played a part in that. You can take nothing away from our guys, though, as they found a way to get it done against a very good team and on the road, I couldn't be prouder."
 
The Pitts third goal was the second HSU extra period game-winner of the weekend following teammate Braxton Griffin's Friday night first overtime winning score, 1-0, at Cal State East Bay. HSU is now 2-0-1 in overtime matches this season.
 
For the first time since joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association, HSU (6-1-1) is off to a 2-0 start in league play. The Jacks' sixth win also ties their season win total from a year ago. Sonoma State dropped to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the CCAA.
 
Pitts and Griffin teamed together for the Jacks first two goals. At 4:07, Griffin passed to Pitts, who hit a 10-yard shot for the match's first score.
 
Only 1:10 into the second half, Sonoma State's Armando Coronel tied the match off a crossing pass. The tie remained for 11 minutes. Off Connor Wilkinson's corner kick, Griffin found Pitts for the second time from short-range to make it, 2-1, in the 58^th minute.
 
The Seawolves' Brenton Frame deadlocked the match for the second time, 2-2, less than seven minutes later (64:08) for the final regulation goal.
 
Sonoma State finished with the higher shot total, 17-9, but HSU connected for the winning score on its only overtime attempt.
 
Jacks' goalie Javier Torres stopped five Seawolves' shots including a pair of diving saves.
 
"The guys will certainly enjoy this (win) for the next few days, but we will refocus and get back to work preparing for Cal State Stanislaus next Friday," said Jungemann.
 
The Jacks travel to face Cal State Stanislaus on Friday for a 4:30 p.m. match, before hosting San Francisco State Sunday starting at 2 p.m.