Oct. 17, 2004
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - Thirteen proved to be a lucky number for Gonzaga University.
With Arni Pjetursson and Josh Westermann each scoring goals, the Bulldogs snapped a 12-match West Coast Conference losing streak with a 2-1 victory over Saint Mary's College on Sunday.
A rainy, chilly day turned sunny for the Bulldogs as Pjetursson scored his fourth goal of the season and Westermann scored his second as a Bulldog to help Gonzaga snap a 4-match losing streak and score for the first time since a 3-1 win over St. Bonaventure University on Sept. 26. The 12-match WCC losing streak extended back to the 2002 season when the Bulldogs dropped their final two WCC outings following a 3-2, double-overtime win over the University of San Diego.
Pjetursson's unassisted goal came at 31:37 when his shot from 10 yards skittered to the right post and in, his 14th career tally to move him into a tie for seventh on the all-time goals list at Gonzaga.
Westermann's goal seemed to be the insurance tally at the time, coming at 63:50 when he took a touch pass from Pjetursson and rifled a shot from 20 yards from the right wing past SMC keeper Brian Mason.
But the Gaels got back into the contest at 73:11 when Matt Fitzgerald took a pass from Corey Watts and slipped a shot to the right of Gonzaga keeper Sean Sosnovec from close range.
The Bulldogs had several opportunities to blow the match open but could not capitalize on several good scoring chances while holding a 17-9 edge in shots.
Pjetursson had an excellent chance for a second goal in the 39th minute of the3 first half, finding himself alone from about 8 yards in front of Mason. However, he tried to beat Mason to the left post and the ball squirted just past the post.
In the second half Scott Campbell was wide open in front of the net and shot high in the 56th minutes, George Josten had a header off a corner kick denied by Mason in the 59th minute and 10 minutes later Josten was denied again as Mason punched his shot over the cross bar just minutes after the SMC marker.
Josten also had two other "sure" goals denied. The first came with about 34 minutes remaining in the second half when he dribbled the length of the field down the far sideline, cut in past a defender, deked Mason and then momentarily lost control of the ball on the doorstep to the goal. Unable to get a solid shot, a SMC defender cleared the ball out of bounds.
The other chance came when Mason came out to deny Josten on the right wing from about 16 yards. Josten "sat" Mason down with a fake and then shot high over the unprotected goal.
The Gaels weren't without other scoring chances, either. Adam Zielske's header off a throw in was tipped over the cross bar near the right post by Sosnovec in the 29th minute. And Diego Rovira's free kick from 20 yards sailed just right in the 62nd minute.
Sosnovec and Mason each had three saves in the match.
The victory was also the first for the Bulldogs without head coach Einar Thorarinsson on the sidelines. He is still recuperating from an automobile-bicycle accident suffered Oct. 2 in Los Angeles. He has missed the last three matches. Assistant coaches Mike Thompson and Mike McCarthy continue to run the team in his absence.
The Bulldogs return to action Friday at the University of Portland in a match now scheduled for 7 p.m. Some schedules reflect a different time. The Bulldogs and the Pilots will conclude the weekend series next Sunday at Martin Field at 2 p.m.
