Gonzaga Looks to end three-match losing streak.
10/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 5, 2004
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SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University women's soccer team (7-5-0) will look to end its three-match losing streak when the Zags travel to Moscow, Idaho, for a 3 p.m. match Friday against the University of Idaho Vandals. The Bulldogs return to the friendly confines of Martin Field on Sunday for their West Coast Conference opener against the University of Portland in an 11 a.m. match.
LAST TIME OUT: Gonzaga University suffered two shutout losses to Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. On Friday OSU and GU battled for 81 minutes with no score. Then in the 82nd minute OSU netted a ball which proved to be the match winner. On Sunday, Gonzaga was on the losing end of a defensive struggle in a 1-0 overtime loss to Oregon. Three minutes into overtime Oregon scored a goal to hand GU a heartbreaking loss.
STREAKS: Since Sept. 13th Gonzaga University has been part of two different streaks. On the 13th GU started its season long four-match win streak which was ended in a 3-0 shutout by the University of Hawaii on Sept. 26th. That loss marked the start of the Zags current three-match losing skid. The three losses mark only the first time this season that the Zags have lost consecutive matches.
ZAGS AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: Gonzaga University has an all-time record of 1-30 against ranked opponents. The lone win came last season when the Zags shut out the 11th-ranked Pepperdine University Waves 1-0 on Oct. 26. GU has another chance to improve upon that record on Sunday as the sixth ranked Pilots of the University of Portland come to Martin Field.
CONFERENCE OPENERS: Gonzaga University is 0-11 in West Coast Conference openers with its closest match coming in the 2001 season when GU lost to Saint Mary's College 3-1 on Oct. 12. THE RECORD: Gonzaga University is 7-5-0 which marks the second best record the Bulldogs have had before the start of conference play. Last season GU posted an 8-5-0 record entering WCC play en route to the best record in program history at 11-8-0.
ZAGS TABBED TO FINISH 7TH IN WCC: The Gonzaga University women's soccer team was tabbed to finish seventh in the West Coast Conference according to a WCC preseason coaches poll. Santa Clara University was tabbed as the favorite to capture the the 2004 WCC crown. The University of Portland was picked to finish second and Pepperdine University rounded out the top three. The University of San Diego was tabbed fourth, Saint Mary's College fifth, Loyola Marymount University sixth, Gonzaga seventh and the University of San Francisco, eighth respectively.
HOME, SWEET HOME: Gonzaga University has posted a 4-0-0 record on their home pitch this season. On Sunday the Zags will look to improve upon their record against No. 6 Portland.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Gonzaga University women's soccer team ranks fourth in corner kicks with 52...fifth in goals scored at 19 and sixth in assists with 13...senior forward Annie Hawkins is also tied for sixth in total points with 12...Hawkins is tied for sixth in goals scored with five and tied for second in shots on goal with 21.
SCOUTING THE VANDALS: The University of Idaho Vandals enter the week with an overall record of 2-7-0 and are currently on a three-match losing streak. UI has not tallied a goal since Sept. 17 in its 2-1 win over Idaho State University. Idaho has been outshot by its opponents 144-104 and outscored 16-7. The Vandals offense is led by Ashley Cox who has a team-leading three goals for six points. The starting goalkeeper duties are in the hands of Lindsay Smith who is posting a 1.41 goals-against-average.
SCOUTING THE PILOTS: The University of Portland Pilots 10-2-0 after defeating Washington State University 2-0 last weekend. Portland is outshooting its opponents 203-102 and outscoring its opponents 31-12. Portland's sophomore netminder Cori Alexander has a 1.04 goals-against-average and recorded 36 saves. Junior forward Christine Sinclair leads the offensive charge for the Pilots with 13 goals and seven assists for 33 points.
MEET THE COACH: The first female head women's soccer coach in the history of the West Coast Conference, Shannon Stiles enters her sixth season at Gonzaga with the program coming off the most successful season in school history. The Bulldogs posted their first winning season in school history with an 11-8-0 record and a 3-4-0 mark in WCC play. The three wins in WCC play surpassed the previous total of two conference wins Gonzaga had collected during 10 previous seasons of WCC play. For her efforts Stiles was named WCC Coach of the Year. Her overall record as a collegiate head coach is 34-69-2, making her the winningest coach in program history.
