CHICO –Matt Hurlow keyed Chico State's 2-0- win over the visiting SF State Gators this evening at Chico's University Stadium. Hurlow scored the Wildcats' first goal in the third minute of the match and then assisted on the second goal ten minutes later.
Matt Hurlow scored the Wildcats' first goal in the third minute off a pass from Sean Bowker. This was Hurlow's fifth goal of the season which went into the far corner of the goal.
Right after the Wildcat goal, the visitors had two corner kicks in the next minute from
Nick Harb and
Sam Merritt respectively but the Gators could not convert them into goals.
Sam Merritt had a chance in the eighth minute to tie the match at 1-1 but his shot sailed high over the goal.
Chico State (7-6-2, 2-6-1 CCAA) took a 2-0 lead in the 13
th minute, when Carter Johnson connected on a ball from Hurlow for his second goal of the season.
Daniel Boyer kept the deficit at two goals for the Gators, when he stopped Justin Walmsley's header in the 33
rd minute.
SF State had three chances in the final 17 minutes of the first half to cut into the Chico State lead but none of them went into the back of the net.
Nathan Fernandez's shot sailed wide in the 35
th minute,
Joe Rousseau's shot sailed high in the 37
th and Daniel Totay's shot sailed high also to send the match into the half with a Wildcat 2-0 lead.
The Gators (7-7-2, 2-6-1 CCAA) had a chance in goalkeeper at the half as
Colt Reichl came in for Boyer.
SF State came out on fire in the second half, but the Gators could not convert their shot attempts into goals. They had three chances in the first four minutes of the half either be blocked or sail wide.
Nick Harb had his attempt to cut into the Wildcat lead be blocked and then
Kevin Johnson and
James Aguirre had their attempts sail wide.
In the 64
th minute,
Jakob Velega had his attempt also sail wide. Then in the 73
rd minute, Luke Dennison made two saves of the shot on goal attempts by Rousseau and Johnson to keep the score at 2-0 Chico State.
Reichl made both of his saves in the 79
th minutes one off the foot of Dylan Wakefield and the other one from Justin Saul.
Rousseau had another chance to cut into the Gator deficit be stopped by Dennison in the 84
th minute as the Wildcats preserved the 2-0 shutout of their visitors.
SF State outshot the Wildcats 14-11 including 10-5 in the second half. Chico State did hold an 8-4 corner kick advantage and a 6-3 shot on goal advantage.
The Gators will now travel to Southern California this Sunday, October 26 for an 11:30am morning CCAA match at Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes scored a goal in the 92
nd minute to defeat Cal State Monterey Bay 3-2 earlier today in San Bernardino.
Box Score Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments. For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
