Zags Surprise No. 22 Usf Mcallister Adds To League-Leading Scoring Total With Lone Goal As Bulldogs Outwork Dons
Gonzaga University’s Jeff McAllister, the leading soccer scorer in the West Coast Conference, added another goal next to his name Friday afternoon.
And this one will be long remembered by No. 22-ranked University of San Francisco
With 4:40 remaining, temperatures dropping and daylight rapidly diminishing, McAllister scored on a header from inside the goalkeeper’s box to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 win.
The match’s sole point, witnessed by a few hundred hardy spectators at Martin Field, represented more than just a conference win for Gonzaga. It was the second time in two weeks Gonzaga bumped off a ranked WCC opponent.
Two weeks ago, the Bulldogs stunned Santa Clara, at the time No. 21, 3-0.
Friday’s victory improved Gonzaga to 2-1 in conference matches, 9-5-1 overall. San Franciso is 3-1, 8-6-1. If the Bulldogs win their final three conference matches, they will win the conference title for the first time since joining the WCC in 1993 and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
“We have a ways to go,” said a modest Gonzaga coach Einar Thorarinsson. “We knew we had to outwork them all over the field.”
The Bulldogs, who got off 17 shots to the Dons’ 21, wasted two scoring opportunities in the second half. With 34 minutes left, a McAllister header from 15 yards out hit the crossbar and sailed over the net.
Five minutes later, freshman forward Brian Ching misdirected a shot wide left. Ching made up for the missed scoring opportunity by assisting along with Jeremy Clark on McAllister’s goal.
“Bret (Houck) crossed the ball across the field and I saw Jeremy (Clark) running in as the ball was coming so I hit it into him,” Cling explained. “He and the goalie (Brian Mullen) kind of collided, but he popped it up.
“Jeff (McAllister) was right behind him to clean it up.”
It was McAllister’s 12th goal of the season. He also leads the WCC in points with 27.
“A lot of teams are quicker than us,” said McAllister, a junior forward. “But we work so hard I guess that makes up for it.
Gonzaga keeper Josh Fouts recorded his sixth shutout in 13 games. The sophomore transfer leads the league in goals-against average, allowing a scant .69 per game.
Fouts stopped nine shots to Mullen’s three.
The match was a homecoming for Mullen, who played high school soccer at Gonzaga Prep. He undoubtedly left disappointed.
“We’re pretty much the most talented team in the West Coast Conference,” said the sophomore keeper. “They wanted it more and considering we didn’t want it, we got stuck playing their kind of soccer, which is hit the ball as hard as you can and run after it.”
Gonzaga’s homestand continues Sunday at 2 p.m. when it plays host to Saint Mary’s. The Gaels were 1-2, 6-7-1 heading into the weekend.
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