Oct. 31, 2008
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - A late second half rally by the Gonzaga University women's soccer team fell short as the visiting 14th ranked University of San Diego Toreros handed the Bulldogs a 3-2 defeat in the Zags final home match of the season Friday afternoon.
Freshmen Courtney Peacock scored her third goal of season and Caitlyn Salo became the fifth Zag to record her first career netter as the Bulldogs dropped to 7-10-2 overall and 2-4-0 in the West Coast Conference. USD used two goals from Jen Mello to improve its record to 14-3-2 overall and 6-0-0 WCC and stay in a tie for first place in the WCC standings.
The Toreros took an early lead with either teams first shot of the match, using a huge left cross from the left sideline by Jackie Garcia which was headed by Elissa Magracia on the right side of the six-yard box to Jackie Zinke who then punched into the left side of the goal from 10 yards out for the 1-0 lead at the 7:24 mark.
After falling behind 1-0, the Bulldog offense came alive, holding possession in USD territory the rest of the first half but failed to get anything by Torero keeper Brittany Cameron as the half ended at 1-0. Mello opened the second-half scoring in the 59th minute, finding the right corner with a shot from just inside the left side of the 18 to put USD up 2-0.
Gonzaga hung in there as both offenses seemed to dial up the offensive pressures after that second USD goal as 23 of the matches' 33 shots came in the second half. Peacock brought the Zags to within 2-1 at the 63:56 mark, taking a pass from sophomore Sheridan Jones from 20 yards out and got by the charging USD keeper and kicked into an empty net from just inside the 18.
Just as the game's momentum seemed to have had gone to the Gonzaga side, Mello answered with her 12th goal of the season. The USD forward dribbled into the right corner of the 18 and fired a shot that sailed just wide left of a diving Gonzaga sophomore keeper Lauren Ames and off the far left post and into the net to put USD up 3-1 with just under 12 minutes remaining.
The young Bulldog squad that started seven freshmen and sophomores in the match continued to battle and pulled to within a score in the final minute on Salo's first career goal. Salo won a battle for possession with the USD defenders deep inside San Diego territory and then got by a charging Torero keeper and tapped into an empty net from 15 yards out to bring the score to 3-2. Salo joins Peacock, freshman Sarah Rhodes, redshirt freshman Kaite Spangenberg and junior Christi D'Agostino who also have recorded their first career goals this season.
Time ran out on the Gonzaga rally as GU lost its second one-goal decision to a nationally ranked team this season after dropping a 1-0 decision at #21 ranked University of Colorado Sept. 19.
Ames made four saves for the Bulldogs and Cameron posted four for the Toreros. USD recorded with an 18-15 shot advantage and the two teams combined for just three fouls throughout the match. Jones picked up her team-leading fourth assist of season and continues to own the team-lead in points with 10.
Seniors Kayla Jerde, Lacey Castleberry, Lauren Dascenzo and team captain Kelcey Goddard were recognized prior to playing in the final home match of their Gonzaga careers. The Zags close out the 2008 season at Santa Clara University next Saturday at 1 p.m.
