LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's soccer team took the first step toward defending its California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament title with a well-played win over Chico State on Sunday.

The No. 3 seed Golden Eagles got a first-half goal from Liliana Gonzalez and superb goaltending from Taesja Paopao in a 1-0 victory over the No. 6 seed Wildcats at University Stadium. Cal State LA (9-1-8) posted its third straight shutout and its 11th of the season while beating the Wildcats (11-7-1, 6-4-1 CCAA) for the second time this season.

Cal State LA advances to the conference semifinals and a match against No. 2 seed Cal State San Marcos on Friday at 4 p.m. at Cal State Monterey Bay's Cardinale Stadium. The Golden Eagles will be making their third straight trip to the semifinals.

Gonzalez continued her recent run of outstanding play and gave the Golden Eagles the lead in the 21st minute with a spectacular individual effort. She received a long pass from Thaiz Hernandez and outbattled  a pair of Chico State defenders before getting a small window to shoot from in the middle of the box. She placed her attempt just inside the right post for her fourth goal of the season. 

It's the second straight year Gonzalez has come up big for the Golden Eagles in a first-round tournament game. Last season, she had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Cal Poly Pomona at University Stadium. She now has 14 goals and 33 points in her Cal State LA career. Eleven of her 14 goals have been game-winners, including Sunday's big goal.

Chico State wound up with a 12-9 advantage in shots after Cal State LA had a 5-1 edge in the opening half. Several of Chico State's shots were from distance as the Wildcats tried to find the equalizer, but Paopao was tested often by dangerous crosses into the box that she handed brilliantly. 

She wound up with five saves, all five of them in the second half.

Gonzalez had three shots to lead Cal State LA, while Summer Baron had five shots for Chico State.

Skylynn Rodriguez had two shots for the Golden Eagles.

The game also had NCAA Division II West Region implications as Cal State LA entered the week No. 2 in the region and Chico State was No. 7. Six teams will make the playoffs.