Gonzaga University
Santa Clara
Bulldogs Fall To Broncos' Late Second-Half Goal Surge
10/1/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2010
SPOKANE, Wash. - Santa Clara University scored three late unanswered goals and posted a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over Gonzaga University in a West Coast Conference men's soccer match Friday at Gonzaga Soccer Field.
For awhile it looked like an early Bulldog (3-6-0; 0-2-0) goal might hold up.
The Zags grabbed the early lead at 12:10 when Colin Flynn scored his first goal of the season on an assist from Philippe Garre, who sent a left-to-right cross that Flynn headed to the left post past SCU keeper Kevin Klasila.
The Broncos, playing their WCC opener, had an excellent chance to get on the scoreboard first when Gonzaga keeper Ryan Caballero was called for tripping up a SCU player at the left side of the 18 just 1:07 into the contest, but Brandon Zimmerman's penalty kick went wide left.
Gonzaga nearly took a two-goal lead to halftime when Nick Love took a thru ball from Garre and went 1-on-1 with Klasila who was able to smother the ball before Love could get a lob shot over the top.
SCU got the equalizer at 69:44 when Eric Masch converted an Erik Hurtado cross for his second goal of the season. Hurtado dribbled deep to the left endline, crossed to the front and Masch got the goal to the right post.
Ten minutes later the Broncos grabbed the lead when Mykell Bates notched his second goal of the season. Wesley Culver's corner kick from the right side was one-touched by Alex Fitschen to Bates for the header and the lead at 79:07. SCU got the insurance goal at 87:16 when Hurtado took a long clearing pass down the left sideline, dribbled in off the wing, went 1-on-l with a Bulldog defender and beat Caballero to the right post.
Gonzaga had a chance to tie the match on a rush just prior to the third SCU goal. Love dribbled in from the left wing and Klasila deflected Love's shot back into play. Flynn came in from the right wing but shot wide from 8 yards.
"I thought we controlled the first half after we got the goal," Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson said. "But in the second half we seemed to lose our rhythm and momentum when we subbed. I don't know why but Santa Clara started to carry the play a little more."
Santa Clara held a 5-3 shots lead in the opening half, but finished the game with a decisive 16-8 advantage. Caballero had five saves for the Bulldogs, Klasila three for SCU.
Flynn and Garre both cramped up in the 80-degree heat and had to leave the match.
"Philippe played well, Love seems to be back (from a hamstring injury) and had the good chance late. Colin cramped and I had to sub him out," Thorarinsson said.
Thorarinsson said Friday was the warmest day the Bulldog have played on this year and the weather hasn't been extremely warm for fall camp which began in August.
"It was cool when we played in Chicago and Irvine," Thorarinsson said of earlier matches played in less-than-normal weather conditions considering the time of year.
With two home losses to open WCC play Thorarinsson said the Bulldogs "must focus on winning on the road and not look ahead. We have to take each match as it comes."
The Bulldogs, who have the rest of this weekend off after opening WCC play with a mid-week contest with the University of Portland this past Wednesday, return to the road next weekend for a Friday match at Loyola Marymount University and a Sunday contest at the University of San Diego. LMU was the pre-season pick of the coaches to win the WCC regular-season title.
