Oct. 16, 2009
Box Score
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Gonzaga University had its late comeback attempt held off by a tough Loyola Marymount University squad who handed the Bulldogs a 2-1 defeat in a West Coast Conference match in Los Angeles Friday afternoon.
The Bulldogs (6-8, 0-2 WCC) made things interesting late in the match as Sheridan Jones scored in the 84th minute to cut the LMU (9-3-2, 1-0-1 WCC) to 2-1 but the Lions held on to record the WCC victory after recording two goals early in the first half.
"Allowing those early goals really hurt us today," stated head coach Amy Edwards. "We had some chances in the second half but were just unable to overcome allowing those early goals."
Playing with a freshman keeper who was making her career collegiate appearance, Alicia Berggren, the Gonzaga defense held tough but found themselves on the wrong end of a couple of bad breaks in the early minutes of the first half. LMU's Kelley Lawson gave the Lions a 1-0 advantage at the 10:36 mark after an LMU shot had sailed high but hit the cross bar and bounced right to Lawson who kicked it in for the score.
The Bulldogs later experienced another bad break as yet another ball bounced in favor of LMU as Lacey Bartels got inside Gonzaga territory and fired on net. Her shot also hit the crossbar but went straight down, landing just inside the goal line as the linesmen raised the flag to signify the ball crossing the line for the score and giving the Lions a 2-0 lead.
The Zags regained form in the second half, getting back to their offensive pressing ways as Christi D'Agostino and Sarah Rhodes each fired in shots in the second period. GU was able to get on the board at the 84:20 mark as a Sarah Rhodes' pass found Sheridan Jones who dribbled in and beat LMU keeper Allyssa Clark from six yards out to record her second goal of the season. The Bulldogs goal was first goal scored by a visiting team against the Lions at home this season.
"Sarah made a nice pass to Sheridan who was able to get the goal on a very nice finish," said Edwards.
LMU held off a couple late runs by the Bulldogs to pick up the win. Clark made four saves for the Lions while Berggren recorded two saves in first career start for the Zags.
"Alicia had a very solid performance today," stated Edwards. "I am very proud of her walking into this situation and giving us a chance in her first career game. I was also very happy with how Emily Hutchins and Elle Sweeney played today. Those two never stopped working and really pushed everybody today."
Gonzaga continues its road swing in southern California with a stop in Malibu to face Pepperdine University in a WCC matchup 1 p.m. Sunday.
