Gu Holds Its Breath Bulldogs Win Finale, Hope For An Ncaa Bid
College soccer
Einar Thorarinsson will put his Gonzaga men’s soccer team through its usual practices next week, hoping there’ll be a reason for the daily regimen.
The 19th-ranked Bulldogs completed the first phase of their season Friday afternoon at Martin Field by beating the University of Portland 2-1. The victory improved their record to 14-4 with a 4-2 mark that’s good for second place in the West Coast Conference standings.
The feeling around the GU camp is that its record - along with the list of teams the Bulldogs beat - will be good enough to earn them one of the 16 at-large berths in the NCAA Tournament. If they bag one, it will be the first appearance in the tournament since the school added soccer in 1980.
A year ago, finishing at 11-6-1, 4-2, Gonzaga was passed over.
“Last year, our chances were slim,” Thorarinsson said. “This year, it’s the opposite. I think there’s a really good chance, but I’m cautious.”
Friday’s game, played in a steady rain before about 350 spectators, including a hardy group of tailgaters - hey, they don’t have football - showed how far Gonzaga has come.
Although Bulldogs Mike Thompson and Matt Blasdel both missed early goals, the two players teamed to give Gonzaga a 1-0 lead at 36:20.
After a mixup at midfield, the ball was pushed out on the right side to Blasdel, who redirected the ball to the back post. He spotted Thompson, who beat everyone in the air with a header from 10 yards out.
Gonzaga scored again just 44 seconds into the second half when Jason Kuska’s shot bounced off the leg of Portland keeper Brian Casola and into the cage. The 18-yard goal was set up by Chris LaRochelle.
Gonzaga enjoyed its 2-0 lead until Portland’s Davide Xausa scored on keeper Josh Fouts with 3:30 left to play. Matt Lund crossed to Xausa, who nailed a one-touch 12-yarder.
“We started to relax and play more defensively,” Thorarinsson said. “Sometimes when that happens, a good team will pick up on that.”
The Pilots (10-7-1, 3-3) had one last chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. However, Fouts smothered Garrett Marcum’s weak 17-yard kick.
Both keepers finished with three saves. The Bulldogs outshot the Pilots 9-7.
Herbert Barbosa netted three goals and an assist to lead Community Colleges of Spokane to a 4-1 victory over Bellevue in NWAACC action at Spokane Falls CC.
The victory was key to the Sasquatch’s postseason hopes. CCS (10-6) needs to win its last three games, all at home, against Bellevue, Green River and Highline.
Women
The Washington State Cougars tied a school record, but it’s one they’d just as soon forget.
Megan Orach and Erica De Vitas each scored as USC (15-3-1, 6-2) beat WSU 2-0 in a Pac-10 match at Torrance, Calif., handing the Cougars (7-10, 2-5) their record-tying sixth straight defeat.
WSU had apparently tied the score at 1-1 in the 68th minute, but a goal by Meagin Donovan was disallowed because she was offsides.
The Trojans outshot WSU, which suffered its fifth straight shutout defeat, 22-6.
Gonzaga continued to struggle at Loyola Marymount.
The Bulldogs (8-11, 1-5) found themselves in a 3-0 hole just 15 minutes into the match and fell 4-0 to the Lions (11-7, 2-4) in West Coast Conference action in Los Angeles.
Gonzaga was shut out at Sullivan Field for the third straight match.
Gonzaga managed just four shots on goal for the game.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo