The Gators can't keep themselves above .500.

SF State's men's soccer team dropped to 4-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference Sunday after losing 3-1 to the Chico State Wildcats (7-8, 4-5 CCAA) on the SF State campus.

The result means that both teams now occupy second place in the North Division, or fifth overall in the conference.

Despite scoring first through Casey Poston, the Gators fell apart and gifted the Wildcats three soft goals — including two for forward AJ Carboneau — before half time. The nightmare half included an ejection for Gator coach Joe Hunter for arguing with an official.

Though an improved second half saw the Gators attempt 15 shots at goal, the WIldcats were too organized, too resolute and just too good to allow the home team back into the game.

"Our players weren't really mentally in it," SF State assistant coach Lauri Kanerva said. "We got the early goal and then I think they got a little comfortable, and you can't do that is this level."

Having gone 110 minutes without a goal in Friday's scoreless tie, the Gators were craving one Sunday and quickly got their fix — just one minute and 20 seconds after kickoff.

Poston had collected Benno Nagel's pass sixteen yards out, and with a clever touch made himself enough room to fire a low, hard, left-footed shot. It was his first goal of the season.

However, the Wildcats' response was deadly.

Within minutes Gator midfielder Wes Whitt was heading a clearance off his own goal-line, and at 16 minutes the Gators' goal was finally breached.

After a defensive scramble, Carboneau appeared stunned to receive the ball just yards from goal, and even hesitated before blasting his shot in from close range.

Although Whitt and Araia Berhane enjoyed some attacking penetration for the Gators along the left, the Wildcats exploited the same channel and soon Carboneau was trying a shot from distance, his effort going over the bar.

SF State midfielder Shawn Granger also tried a long shot, but visiting 'keeper Brian Linné saved brilliantly, one of nine saves he made on the day.

The Wildcats got their second goal in the 32nd minute after the Gators' defense failed to clear the ball effectively, leaving Carboneau to again score from yards out.

Zac Crim completed the Wildcats' first-half rout when he nodded in Garret McCall's assist from the edge of the six yard box.

In the second period the Gators began to show some bite.

Poston's free kick grazed the wrong side of the post, while Granger's side-footed attempt lacked both pace and placement. Bobby Maeda and Berhane both shot wide, and Kevin Gallette — who returned into the side following suspension — headed a corner kick wide.

The Wildcats were defending in numbers but found enough attacking guile to create chances of their own, forcing five saves by the Gators' second-half substitute goalkeeper and season debutant, Eric Shield.

Despite the loss, SF State is still chasing a playoff spot and needs to make ground on Cal State Dominguez Hills, who is three points ahead.

"We'll go one game at a time because we can't be thinking about the playoffs based on a performance like today," Kanerva said. "But if we keep our mind in the game, one game at a time, who knows."

Gators senior defender Nagel, who plays his final home game next Sunday, was disappointed with the performance, but remains focused on first-time CCAA post-season soccer.

"I think the key to next weekend is just to focus on working hard," he said. "I think that kind of showed today. We weren't really working as hard as we should, and that's why we got the result. Hopefully we can focus and have a good result this next weekend."