Oct. 28, 2005
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Junior Luke Miller scored his third goal of the season with 43 seconds remaining Friday as Gonzaga University defeated Loyola Marymount University 3-2 in a West Coast Conference men's soccer match.
Miller took a pass from George Josten, turned and when LMU keeper Robert Flores came out Miller launched a shot from 10 yards that deflected off Flores and into the net for the match winner.
Josten had scored his team-leading eighth goal and the 13th of his career to tie the match for the Bulldogs (4-6-4; 2-3-2) at 78:41. Mark Stock had taken the original shot that was deflected by Flores, and Josten found the rebound and put it back for the score.
The victory was the first WCC road win for the Bulldogs since Nov. 1, 2002, when they took a 3-2 overtime victory at the University of San Diego, a string of 14 straight road matches without a victory. The Bulldogs have a pair of road ties to their credit this season.
LMU (5-6-4; 3-3-1) got the early 1-0 lead when Jimmy Burling headed in a free kick from Junior Ybarra at 10:37 for his second goal of the season.
Stock tied the match at 43:11 to send the teams to halftime tied 1-1, his low, hard shot to the right post beating Flores for his third goal of the season.
Gonzaga starting keeper Vito Higgins, who had played every minute this season, was forced out of the match in the 69th minute when Burling and Higgins collided. Dade Smith replaced Higgins for this first action of the season.
Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson said Higgins was shaken up but is expected to be ready to play on Sunday at San Diego.
"There was a doctor at the field. Vito was checked for neck, rib and ankle injuries. He's a little shaken but there were no serious injuries. He might be a little sore tomorrow, but it looks like he'll be able to play on Sunday" Thorarinsson said.
The Lions, who had taken a 2-1 win over Gonzaga earlier this season in Spokane, took a 2-1 lead at 70:08 when Nick Blanco took a pass down the right side from Trini Gomez, cut back toward the middle of the field and hit a low shot to the far post to beat Smith.
The Bulldogs were without the services of defender Austin Washington who was serving a red card suspension from last Saturday. He will return to the lineup Sunday at USD. Conor Baranski made his fourth start of the season in Washington's absence.
Thorarinsson, whose Bulldogs face three matches in four days on their southern California trip, substituted liberally.
"I have to try and keep our legs fresh with three matches in four days," Thorarinsson said.
The Bulldogs will face USD at 2 p.m. on Sunday and again Monday at 1 p.m. Monday's match is a make-up of the Oct. 2 match postponed in Spokane because heavy rains and three matches in 36 hours left Martin Field unplayable.
