Box Score Jake Ward scored his first goal as a Wildcat and helped anchor a Chico State defense that’s suddenly looking dominant in an important 2-0 pounding of Cal State Stanislaus Friday at University Soccer Stadium. The win sets up a showdown for first place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s North Division between the Wildcats and rival Sonoma State Sunday at 11:30.

Ward outworked his defender and netted a diving header near the far post in the 12th minute, wrestling his way onto the end of a Luis Martinez free kick.The play was set up when Octavio Guzman drew a foul just outside of the 18-yard box at the PK spot extended.

Matt Hurlow gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute when he pounced on a defender’s misplay and created a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper with a combination of pure speed and heady aggressiveness. Warriors keeper Clint Long charged and Hurlow smartly hammered a shot low to Long’s right that caromed off the inside of the far post and in for his third goal of the season.

Thanks to the play of Ward, the rest of the defensive third, and solid help from the midfield and strikers, Chico State goalkeeper Same Evans needed to make just one save to earn his second straight shutout and third in four matches. He did so with a nice diving stop with 10 minutes remaining. It was the first shot on goal allowed by the Wildcats in 185-plus minutes of action.

Chico State finished with a 16-5 advantage in shots (7-1 on goal) in handing Cal State Stanislaus just its second loss of the season. Each team earned six corner kicks.

The Wildcats are now 5-0-1 in their last six matches at home against Cal State Stanislaus and 8-2-1 against the Warriors since the start of the 2007 season.

Chico State improved to 5-2-1 overall and 4-1-1 in the CCAA. Sonoma State, which the Wildcats beat 1-0 on Hurlow’s 94th-minute golden goal last Friday in Rohnert Park, is also 4-1-1 in the CCAA heading into Sunday’s showdown.

Cal State Stanislaus is now well back in third place in the North Division at 4-2-2 overall and 2-2-2 in the CCAA.