Cal State San Bernardino is off to the best start to a season since 2003 and is in the hunt for a bid to both the CCAA conference tournament and the NCAA West Regional, but faces two teams this weekend that have given it fits in recent years. 
    Friday's opponent is Chico State, currently 7-4-3 overall and 4-3-3 in the CCAA and sitting in second place in the North Division. The match is set for 3 p.m. at Coyote Premier Field.
Sunday's foe is Cal State Stanislaus, currently 7-5-1 overall and 4-5-1 in the CCAA and in third place in the North Division. 
    The Coyotes, 11-3 overall, 7-3 in the CCAA and ranked No. 4 in the NCAA West Region, have posted the best record of any CSUSB team since 2003's squad went 12-8-1 and they have six matches remaining to improve on that. CSUSB has won three straight times and is 6-2 over its last eight matches. 
    Wins count three points and ties one so the emphasis will be on wins as the regular season winds down. 
    CSUSB is currently in third place in the South Division with 21 points trailing Cal State L.A. (28) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (22). In the North Division, Sonoma State is comfortably ahead with 25 points so CSUSB needs to keep pace to stay in the top four since the two division winners and two at-large teams with the most points make it to the CCAA tournament on Nov. 5-8 in Turlock. The tournament winner becomes the CCAA's automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament. 
    CSUSB VS. CHICO STATE – Chico State leads the series 9-3 and has won the last seven meetings. The last Coyotes win over the Wildcats was Oct. 13, 2002, a 3-1 triumph at home. 
    CSUSB VS. CAL STATE STANISLAUS – The Warriors lead the series 7-4-2 but the Coyotes won the 2008 meeting after going 0-4-1 in the previous five meetings. 
    NCAA REGIONAL POLL (OCT. 12) – 1. Sonoma State; 2. Cal State L.A., 3. Seattle Pacific; 4. COYOTES; 5. Grand Canyon; 6. Montana State-Billings. 
    YOTES NOTES – As a team, the Coyotes rank No.1 in the CCAA in points (99), goals scored (35), goals per game (2.5) and are No. 2 in assists (29) and assists per game (2.07)…..junior Albert Cabrera ranks No. 3 in points with 22, goals with 8 and is No. 2 in assists with 6 and game-winning goals (3)…..junior Obi Agwu ranks No. 5 in points (17), no. 3 in goals (8)….goalkeeper Arath De La Rocha is fourth in the CCAA in shutouts with 4.7…..senior Danny Rodriguez has six goals and an assist for 13 points, and three of his goals have been match-winners, including Sunday's 1-0 win over San Francisco State… Eight players have played in all 14 matches for CSUSB….