Gonzaga University
CS-Monterey Bay
Bulldogs Blank Otters To Go To 3-0
9/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 4, 2003
SPOKANE, Wash. - Scott Yuska and Mike Herzog scored first-half goals Thursday and that's all Gonzaga University's men's soccer team needed in taking a 2-0 non-conference victory over Cal State Monterey Bay at Martin Field.
Yuska's goal came at 22:03 on a free kick from 22 yards, the senior from Corte Madera, Calif., blasting the ball through the wall and inside the left post. Herzog's goal came just six minutes later. Arni Ingi Pjetursson's free kick from close range bounced off the wall to Spokane freshman John Palladino who found the open Herzog for the easy goal.
The Bulldogs, in running their record to 3-0-0 for the first time since 1997 and for just the third time since the inception of the program in 1980, dominated the Otters in what was their regular-season opener.
Freshmen Vito Higgins of Kailua, HI, and Kris Wright of Spokane combined for the shutout. Higgins didn't have a save as the Otters didn't get a shot of any kind in the opening 45 minutes. Wright faced two shots in the second half, one on goal for the only Bulldog save of the warm afternoon, which saw the temperature get into the low 90's. CSUMB keeper Jared Racz made two saves as the Bulldogs launched 15 shots, four of them on goal.
Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson was able to clear his bench in the second half as 18 players saw action. The Bulldogs lost the services of redshirt freshman Steve Owens who left the match in the 27th minute with an ankle sprain. He returned to the bench on crutches with the right ankle wrapped.
Gonzaga will be idle this weekend. The next action for Gonzaga will be next Friday at 5 p.m. when the Bulldogs face host Oregon State University in the Diadora Classic in Corvallis, Ore. Gonzaga will conclude play in the tournament on Sunday, Sept. 14, against the University of Illinois-Chicago in a noon match.
