Sept. 28, 2008
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash. - Sophomore Sheridan Jones gave the Gonzaga University women's soccer team a 2-1 double overtime victory over Eastern Washington University at the Gonzaga Soccer Stadium Sunday afternoon. Jones third goal of the season came in the 104th minute to end the Bulldogs' (5-6-0) four-game losing skid.
After being held scoreless in their previous four matches, Gonzaga came out Sunday pressuring the Eagles (2-5-2) right from the start, firing eight shots on EWU net and taking six corner kicks in the matches first 45 minutes. Both teams were held scoreless at half but the tone had been set by the Bulldogs.
The Gonzaga attacks eventually broke down the Eagle defense in the second half as freshman Sarah Rhodes gave the Zags a 1-0 lead at the 56:08 mark. Redshirt sophomore Jessie Sorenson slipped a beautiful pass through two Eagle defenders to a streaking Rhodes who found the right corner for the goal. Rhodes' second goal of season ended Gonzaga's scoreless streak at 433:25 minutes.
The Eagles answered right back though, taking advantage of a Bulldog miscue on the defensive end. Gonzaga sophomore keeper Lauren Ames had gone out from her position in front of goal in an effort to clear a loose ball that had bounced through the Bulldog defense. The ball was inadvertently cleared back towards the middle of the field by at Bulldog defender with Ames out of goal. EWU's Lauryn Koelzer corralled the clearing and kicked into an empty net to tie the match at 1-1 in the 58th minute.
EWU withstood a couple more Bulldog offensive attacks to send the match into overtime. In the first extra session, neither team could get much of a run at their respective goals as the Zags fired the sessions' only shot.
In the second overtime session, the Zag offense came alive again. Freshman Courtney Peacock led the game's final offensive charge in the 104th minute. Peacock got by the EWU defense along the right side and then dished to Jones who took two dribbles to her left and found the left "upper V" from 12 yards out on the right side of the box for her third match-winner of the season.
Ames finished with two saves for the Bulldogs. EWU's made Jessica Blessard made nine saves as the Zags outshot the Eagles 20-6 in the match including 4-0 in the two overtime periods.
Gonzaga hits the road for matches at Idaho State University on Friday and at Weber State University next Sunday before beginning West Coast Conference play Oct. 12 at home against the University of Portland.
