It took almost half the season, but the SF State men’s soccer team is finally starting to click as it climbs up the standings.

Coming off a loss at Humboldt State on Sept. 21, the Gators’ season looked to be lost with a 0-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association record. Held back by inconsistent play, ineffective offense, and too many defensive lapses in close games, the team struggled to find wins.

“I felt like we have to finish more of our chances. We really have to step on [our opponents’] throats when we get the chance. And we have to play a full 90 minutes,” team captain Dylan Glass said.

But after running off three wins in their last four games, including a momentum-changing victory against then-No.17 Chico State (9-2, overall 5-2 CCAA), the Gators have re-established themselves as a threat in a division full of heavyweights.

“We have some momentum. Last week we were down and now all of a sudden we’re turning it around,” midfielder Spencer Schwandt said. “I’m excited to see the other half of the season.”

With three nationally-ranked Division II schools in their conference — No. 6 Sonoma State (9-2-2, 4-1-2 CCAA), No.11 Cal State L.A. (9-1-1, 6-1-1), No. 14 CSU Dominquez Hills (11-1-1, 6-1-1) along Chico State, who just dropped out of the top 25 with a loss to SF State — the Gators have a slim shot at the postseason if they can stay unbeaten the rest of the way and one of the opposing teams fall apart down the stretch.

The top four teams in the CCAA will earn a trip to the postseason.

However, head coach Joe Hunter is glad to see his team turn the corner on a season that started out shaky. He says it shows his team is learning from mistakes. One thing he would like to see improved is their tendency to play to their opponent and game awareness.

“The consistency has gotten better, their togetherness is great,” Hunter said. “The biggest thing with this team is their game awareness. They just have to be smarter at looking at the tendencies of the other team. What are they trying to do to us? What can we do to be better against them? And keeping that in their brain during an intense match and not having those 10-second breakdowns.”

SF State is looking to do the exact opposite of last year when it posted a 6-4 record at the halfway point only to collapse down the stretch to finish 7-11-2.

Though that team was struck with injuries late last season, this team’s slow start can be attributed to inexperience and inconsistency coming from trying to integrate six new starters in the fold.

Freshman Antonio Ugarte is leading the team in goals (five) and points (10) while the new transfer, sophomore Charles Conway, is leading the team in assists (four).

Glass said this team is getting better and better as the season goes along.

“The younger players have gotten used to the pace of the game, what the CCAA is all about. Also, our defense is playing better, but I think defense-wise and playing-wise we are getting better each time out,” Glass said.

In addition, Hunter made a lineup adjustment in the Chico State game that sparked the offense and tightened up the defense.

Moving junior midfielder Wes Whitt back to defender adds more discipline and consistency on defense, while moving defender Conway to striker gives the Gators some much-needed size up front.

“You’re always going to shake the tree, you don’t want [the opponent] to get comfortable. That’s for damn sure,” Hunter said.

The team responded by playing their best game of the season against Chico State and followed that up with a dominant win over Cal State Stanislaus in the same weekend.

With the old lineup and the Southern California heat, the Gators got a split over the weekend, earning their first road conference victory of the season against Cal State San Bernardino 2-0 despite being out-shot 21 to 7.

In the 30th minute, freshman Sergio Villalva connected on a ball from 18 yards out to give the Gators the first lead of the game. It was Villalva’s second goal of the season.

SF State wrapped up the victory with 10 minutes left in the match when Glass assisted Ugarte on a goal.

Israel Cisneros came up big for the Gators, making 10 saves to earn his second shutout of the season.

In Sunday’s game the Gators weren’t so lucky as Cal Poly Pomona held the Gators to only four shots on goal and connected on two second half goals to get the 2-0 victory.

The Gators look to protect their house against CSU San Marcos on Friday at 12:30 p.m. and conference foe Cal State L.A. on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Cox Stadium.