Nov. 7, 2005
SPOKANE, Wash. - The 19th-ranked Gonzaga University women's soccer team will look to continue its record setting 2005 season as the Zags were awarded one of the 64 spots in the 2005 NCAA Women's Soccer College Cup tournament, making its inaugural appearance in the NCAA postseason.
The Bulldogs (12-3-4, 3-1-3 WCC) will open play on Friday against the 16th-ranked University of Southern California in a 5 p.m. match at Titan Stadium on the campus of Cal State Fullerton. The Women of Troy will enter the contest with a 12-5-2 overall record and a 6-2-1 record in the Pacific 10 Conference, good for a third place finish. This will be the first meeting between the two schools in women's soccer. However, Trojans head coach Jim Millinder, is no stranger to the West Coast Conference and Gonzaga having served as the head women's soccer coach at WCC rival Loyola Marymount from 1994-95 posting an 0-1-1 record against the Bulldogs.
"I am thrilled to have finally received a bid," said Gonzaga women's soccer head coach Shannon Stiles. "This has been something that we always knew was possible, considering the conference that we are in, and the success our men's basketball team has had. I am really excited for our seniors Ashley Haugen and Stacey Sarro who have stuck with this program for four years, and are now reaping the rewards of hard work and dedication. USC will not be an easy contest, but I feel that as long as we do all the small things right, like tackling, and controlling the ball when we are attacking that we will have a good chance in the match."
The remaining two teams in the four-team bracket are host Cal State Fullerton, and UNLV. These two teams will play each other on Friday 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Gonzaga-USC match. The winner of the CSF and UNLV match will play the winner of the GU and USC match on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Titan Stadium. Cal State Fullerton defeated the Bulldogs earlier this season 3-2 in the only meeting between the two programs. UNLV and Gonzaga have never met in women's soccer.
