Sept. 6, 2002

Nike Soccer Classic Box Scores
Wisconsin 2, Gonzaga 0
Oregon State 4, Air Force 2

SPOKANE, Wash. - The University of Wisconsin scored three minutes into the second half to build a 2-0 lead, and that held up as the Badgers defeated host Gonzaga University in the opening match of the 2002 Gonzaga/Nike Soccer Classic men's soccer tournament Friday at Martin Field.

In the second match, Oregon State University (2-0-0) held off a late Air Force Academy (2-1-0) charge to post a 4-2 victory, the Beavers playing the final 54 minutes shorthanded as the result of a red card ejection. Alan Gordon and Joe Zaher each scored twice for the Beavers.

Wisconsin (3-0-0) scored at 18:43 of the opener when Valentine Anzoie took Nick Van Sicklen's cross to put it to the far right past a sprawling Gonzaga (0-2-0) keeper Mike McCarthy. That was good for a 1-0 halftime lead for the Badgers, who dodged an early Gonzaga opportunity when Connor Quinn's open net shot sailed over the cross bar at 13:39.

The Bulldogs had another solid scoring chance in the first half, Matt Prichard's hard shot from 30 yards off the right wing deflected by Wisconsin keeper Eric Hanson up and over the net. Hanson had three saves in handing Gonzaga its second blanking in as many outings. The Bulldogs had opened the regular season a week ago with a 1-0 setback to Oregon State.

McCarthy kept the Badgers from increasing their lead just before halftime, Van Sicklen taking a through ball and getting free for a 1-on-1 opportunity that McCarthy stuffed on the low shot.

Van Sicklen increased the Wisconsin lead to 2-0 at 48:54, another through ball giving him a breakaway for a shot from close range.

Arni Ingi Pjetursson had one of the better scoring opportunities in the second half for the Bulldogs, his scissor kick from 15 yards sailing just over the cross bar.

McCarthy came up big on successive shots at 63:24, David Martinez blistering a shot off McCarthy's chest off a free kick, and Anozie taking the rebound and blasting another hard shot off McCarthy from the right side.

The Bulldogs all but lost any chance to come back when freshman Peter Peterson was red carded for a hard sideline tackle on Joe Anderson at 69:42, leaving Gonzaga a man down for the final 20:18.

"We had some good chances," said Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson said. "We just need to get on the scoreboard. We're not getting the ball to some of our guys in the right spots on the field. Our youth is definitely showing."

The Bulldogs were whistled for 24 fouls to just nine for the Badgers.

In the nightcap, Gordon scored twice in the first 20 minutes of the match. His first goal came at 9:43 as he had a wide open net from the left side of the post following a pass from Ryan Johnson. His second tally came at 20:09, Zaher's cross bouncing off Air Force keeper Mike Taylor's chest and Gordon collecting the rebound.

Zaher's first goal came at 60:16, Aaron McHardy feeding a pass to the left side and Zaher finding the right post for the 3-0 lead.

But the Air Force, playing with a man advantage since the 41:09 mark when Johnson was ejected for throwing Daniel Wasson hard to the ground, came back with a pair of quick goals. Thomas Clark scored the first Falcons' goal at 68:28 when he rebounded Casey Chronister's header in a melee in front of OSU keeper Peter Billmeyer. Five minutes later it was Wasson getting an unassisted goal in another melee in front of the net at 73:43.

Air Force kept applying the pressure, getting six more shots in the next 13 minutes, but Billmeyer rose to the occasion with three of his nine saves in that stretch.

The Beavers scored with four seconds to play as Billmeyer launched a long kick that Zaher caught up to down the right wing and dribbled in for his second goal at 89:56, Billmeyer collecting the assist.

The Falcons held a 22-13 shots advantage, many of them late in the match as they launched shots at the net from long range in an effort to get the equalizer.

The Gonzaga/Nike Classic concludes Sunday with Wisconsin and OSU meeting at 10 a.m. in a winner-take-all contest. Gonzaga and Air Force conclude the tournament at 1 p.m.