Nov. 17, 2002

Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. - Gonzaga University tried to play the role of the spoiler, but Alejandro Salazar and Nate Jaqua combined on a second-half goal Sunday as 18th-ranked Unversity of Portland beat the Bulldogs 1-0 at Merlo Field in a West Coast Conference men's soccer match.

Gonzaga (5-10-1; 2-3-1), eliminated from the WCC chase a week earlier, was playing its final match of the season.

Portland (12-5-1; 5-1-0) earned its first outright WCC title since 1988. The Pilots needed a win or a tie against Gonzaga to claim the title outright.

Jaqua's toe-poke pass into the box at 68:36 allowed Salazar to run in unmarked, and the freshman striker easily slotted a nifty ball under Gonzaga goalie Mike McCarthy for his eighth goal of the year. McCarthy, playing his final match for the Bulldogs, finished with four saves. Curtis Spiteri made three saves for his sixth shutout of the season.

Gonzaga nearly tied the match in the 82nd minute but Matt Prichard's rocket hit the crossbar and bounced away before Portland managed to regain control.

Portland outshot Gonzaga 13-10.