If the Chico State men's soccer team was to rise out of it's inexplicable scoring slump, it was a safe bet that Matt Hurlow would be the man to make it happen.
 
Hurlow had the goods in a 2-0 win against San Francisco State Friday night at University Soccer Stadium, breaking the seal with a quick strike less than three minutes in and then assisting on another goal in the 14^th minute.
 
The junior is Chico State's active leader in career goals and points. But he and the Wildcats have been mired in a scoring slump since the start of their California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) campaign. They had scored just four times in their first eight conference matches entering the night.
 
Hurlow, who scored two of those goals two weeks ago at Humboldt State, has now scored or assisted on four of the team's six conference scores. His five goals this season lead the team as well.
 

Chico State improved to 7-6-2 overall and 2-6-1 in the CCAA with the win.
 
Hurlow had the game's first scoring chance and took advantage. Sophomore Sean Bowker delivered his first collegiate assist to send the play into motion, finding Hurlow posting up his defender at the top of the 18-yard box near the right corner. Hurlow cradled the ball and then quickly spun right, creating enough separation to slam a right-footed blast into the far corner for a 1-0 lead.
 
Johnson received a pass slipped through by Hurlow in a similar spot not much later. The true freshman juked two defenders inside of the box and hit a quick low liner through traffic for his second collegiate goal and a 2-0 edge.
 
The Wildcats were mostly content to defend their goal from that point on and did so beautifully, allowing only three shots on frame. Two of those came in the 73^rd minute when Luke Dennison denied consecutive shots from inside the box, coming out aggressively to take away the angle.
 
The true freshman made three saves on the night as the Wildcats registered their sixth clean sheet of the season.
 
With the win, Chico State kept its postseason hopes afloat. The Wildcats must also win their final two games, at home against Cal State Monterey Bay Sunday at 2 p.m. and Cal State San Bernardino Thursday at 4:30, and get some help from around the conference.
 
But hope is alive, especially after Friday's affair.