Oct. 29, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

BULLDOGS HOME FOR TWO: Gonzaga University is home for the next-to-last time in 2009 this weekend when Santa Clara University comes to town Friday and Saint Mary's College pays a Sunday visit to Gonzaga Soccer Field. Action both days starts at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs have just five matches remaining, three of them at home. Following this weekend Gonzaga will be on the road at Loyola Marymount University a week from Friday and the University of San Diego the following Sunday. The Bulldogs conclude the regular season at home Friday, Nov. 13, against the University of San Francisco.

STILL IN THE HUNT: While the regular-season title may be slipping away, Gonzaga University is still in the hunt for a NCAA at-large berth, but the Bulldogs would probably have to run the table the final five matches of the season. Gonzaga is currently 5-6-3 overall and five more wins would get the Bulldogs to double digits. Gonzaga is 2-4-1 in West Coast Conference play, and only once in WCC play since the teams went to a double round robin format has a team with four losses won the title. The most points Gonzaga can get is 22, while the University of San Diego, which suffered its first WCC loss last weekend, sits atop the standings at 6-1-0 and 18 points. The Bulldogs are tied with Loyola Marymount University for fourth place with 7 points, those two teams squaring off next weekend in Los Angeles.

BULLDOGS SHOT DOWN BY PILOTS: After playing to a 2-2 double-overtime tie four days earlier in Spokane, Gonzaga University headed to the University of Portland last Sunday for the same-week re-match, the Pilots taking a 5-1 victory. The Bulldogs, who had come from a 2-0 deficit at home to garner the tie, fell behind early and could not recover as Portland won the showdown for third place. The five goals were the most the Bulldogs had allowed since a 6-0 setback at Oregon State University in 2004, and the 4-goal margin of defeat was the largest the Bulldogs had endured since a pair of 4-0 defeats to UC Davis and the University of San Diego in 2006.

MURAVEZ GETS A GOAL: Oregon native Tim Muravez, who hails from Corvallis, ruined University of Portland keeper Austin Guerrero's bid for a shutout when he scored off Ben Funkhouser's corner kick at 73:25 last Sunday. It was the first goal of the season for Muravez and the sixth of his career.

FALL BACK: To make certain you're not late for Sunday's match, turn your clocks back one hour before going to bed Sunday night as Daylight Savings Time starts.

LEND A HAND: Ben Funkhouser picked up his fourth assist of the season to tie Nick Love for the team lead and the 13th assist of his career to move into a three-way tie for sixth on the all-time Gonzaga University list when he assisted on Tim Muravez' goal Sunday at the University of Portland. The senior from Spokane's East Valley High is second on the team in scoring with 12 points - 4 goals and 4 assists.

PENALTY KICKS: The first goal for the University of Portland last Sunday came on a penalty kick, making opponents a perfect 3-for-3 in penalty kicks this season. The Bulldogs are 1-1 in penalty kicks, Ben Funkhouser hitting the Gonzaga free shot against Oregon State University in a 1-1 overtime tie.

BULLDOGS VS. BRONCOS: Gonzaga University lost at Santa Clara University 1-0 on a penalty kick in the final minute of play the opening weekend of the West Coast Conference season. For the first time since 2004 when round robin play began in the WCC, Gonzaga swept the season series from the Broncos last season, taking a 2-1 overtime victory in Spokane and a 3-2 verdict at SCU. The Bulldogs, who trail the all-time series 11-8-3, are 4-2-2 against the Broncos in the last eight meetings dating back to 2005. Prior to that SCU had won four straight in the series.

ZAGS VS. GAELS: Gonzaga University opened West Coast Conference play at Saint Mary's College this season, the Gaels claiming a 2-0 victory. The Bulldogs are winless in their last four outings with SMC. The teams tied 1-1 in double overtime in last year's first meeting at Gonzaga, then the Gaels ended any hopes the Bulldogs had of a winning the WCC title with a 4-0 victory in Moraga in the regular-season finale. The teams battled to a scoreless double-overtime tie in Spokane in 2007 after the Bulldogs had taken the first meeting that year at SMC 1-0, the Bulldogs fourth straight win over the Gaels. Gonzaga leads the overall series 10-9-3.

WCC STATS: Tye Perdido and Ben Funkhouser give Gonzaga University two players in the Top 10 in West Coast Conference scoring - Perdido is tied for fourth with 13 points, Funkhouser tied for sixth with 12. Perdido is tied for third in goals with five while Funkhouser is tied for eighth with four. Funkhouser and Love are in a logjam for third in assists with four. Funkhouser's two match-winning goals put him in a multi-player tie for second. Scott Barnum's .811saves percentage and 73 saves both lead the conference, and his three shutouts tie for third.

ON THE WEB: All Gonzaga University home matches will be available on video through the CBS College Sports Online All-Access subscription service available at http://wwww.gozags. Gametracker will be available free of charge through the Gonzaga website for all home matches. Check the schedule and All-Access page at http://www.gozags.com for video and Gametracker of away matches.