Oct. 8, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

BULLDOGS MAKE WCC HOME DEBUT: Gonzaga University's men's soccer team makes its West Coast Conference home debut this weekend. Loyola Marymount University comes to town Friday for a 3 p.m. contest followed by the University of San Diego at 1 p.m. Sunday. The matches begin a stretch where the Bulldogs will play three of their next four WCC contests at home.

BULLDOGS SWEPT IN WCC OPENERS: The road was not friendly to Gonzaga University last weekend as the Bulldogs dropped a pair of West Coast Conference matches to open conference play. Saint Mary's College handed the Bulldogs a 2-0 setback and Santa Clara University blanked the Zags 1-0 on a penalty kick in the final minute of regulation. It was the first time since 2006 Gonzaga had been swept to open the WCC season.

BIG OUTINGS: It's still early in the West Coast Conference season, but this weekend's matches take on a bit of urgency for Gonzaga University. The Bulldogs and the University of San Francisco were the only two teams to open the WCC season winless, although none of the five teams to have two matches last weekend were able to come up with a sweep. The University of Portland and Saint Mary's College both came out of the weekend 1-0-1 to sit atop the standings with four points.

CLEARING THE BENCH: Gonzaga University head coach Einar Thorarinsson has cleared his bench this season. Freshman Erik Nielsen saw his first action of the season last weekend, meaning only freshman defender Ian Hartfield and freshman keeper Ryan Caballero have not played this season, Thorarinsson planning on redshirting both players. Thorarinsson has used 21 of his 25 players in the regular season, with two others seeing action in the exhibition match against Trinity Western University but not yet seeing time in the regular season.

BULLDOGS HAVE WIN TAKEN AWAY: Gonzaga University had a win taken off its schedule due to a ruling by the NCAA recently. The Bulldogs' match with Trinity Western University of Langley, British Columbia, cannot count toward Gonzaga's RPI or season statistics, according to the NCAA. Since Trinity Western is not a member of the NCAA or does not play at least 50 percent of its schedule against NCAA squads, the Bulldogs are unable to count that match as part of the regular season. Thus, all team and individual statistics from that match have been removed from Gonzaga's season statistics. Gonzaga's record is now reflected as being 3-2-2 heading into the West Coast Conference openers this weekend.

SCORELESS: Last weekend's two shutouts ran Gonzaga University's scoreless streak to 270 minutes since defeating Binghamton University 2-1 in overtime Sept. 18. The University of New Mexico began the Zags current drought with a 3-0 win Sept. 20 in the final match of the tournament hosted by UNM. The scoreless streak is the longest since the end of the 2007 season when the Bulldogs went the final five matches without a goal, including a 1-0 setback at SMU in the NCAA Tournament.

ZAGS VS. LIONS: Gonzaga University won the final meeting of 2008 with Loyola Marymount University 2-1 at home to snap a two-match losing streak against the Lions. Gonzaga leads the overall series 12-9-1 but has dropped four of the last six meetings.

BULLDOGS VS. TOREROS: Gonzaga University snapped a five-match losing streak to the University of San Diego with a 4-1 victory at Gonzaga Soccer Field last season. The Toreros had blanked the Bulldogs in the three previous meetings, two of them in San Diego. The Toreros have the all-time series lead at 15-5-1.

HICKMAN SEES ACTION: Sophomore keeper Andrew Hickman saw his first action of the season last week against Saint Mary's College, replacing Scott Barnum for the second half. He had a pair of saves. Barnum had played every minute of the previous eight matches heading into the Saint Mary's contest. Hickman saw action in three matches with two starts a year ago.

THE STATS: Gonzaga University players are prominent in the West Coast Conference statistics. Senior Tye Perdido is tied for sixth in points with 7 on the strength of three goals and an assist and is his three goals tie him with teammate Ben Funkhouser and four other players for fourth. Nick Love is in a three-way tie for first for assists with four. Keeper Scott Barnum sits atop the WCC in save percentage at .821, saves-per-game with 5.11 and in total saves with 46. He is tied for fourth in shutouts with two.

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.