Gonzaga University
Saint Mary's
Zags Fall To Gaels In Overtime Despite First Half Lead
10/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 31, 2010
SPOKANE, Wash. - Jordan Marada's goal at 102:16 gave Saint Mary's College a 4-3 double overtime West Coast Conference victory over the Gonzaga University women's soccer team Sunday in the final home match of the regular season for the Bulldogs.
Despite leading 2-0 at halftime, the Bulldogs (8-10-1, 3-3-0 WCC) couldn't hold on to the lead as the Gaels (8-7-3, 2-4-0 WCC) scored three goals in the second half.
Freshman forward Cassie Geerdts scored one goal and had two assists for the Zags while Marada scored two goals and two assists for the Gaels. Alex Ciliento also notched two assists for the Gaels, including Marada's match-winner.
The Bulldogs are now tied for third in the WCC as the University of San Diego defeated Pepperdine Friday.
Gonzaga took a 1-0 lead five minutes into the match. Freshman defender Erin Ennis made a pass to the right side to Geerdts, who took a shot inside the penalty area. Saint Mary's goalkeeper Sarah Peters made a good effort to block the shot but it deflected off her and rolled into the left side of the goal.
Before halftime sophomore Emily Hutchins scored her third goal of the season, taking a pass from Geerdts followed by a shot from the right side to beat Peters on the left side.
The Gaels were very aggressive at the start of the second half. Following a cross by Marada, Briana Campos' one-touch shot on the left side scored the Gaels first goal at 45:20. The Gaels made it 2-2 at 57:32 when Marada delivered a cross to Daelyn Paul, who punched a header past redshirt junior goalkeeper Lauren Ames. Saint Mary's took a 3-2 lead at 62:13 when Marada scored her first goal of the match off a cross by Alex Ciliento.
The Bulldogs had a chance to tie the match when junior forward Sarah Rhodes, who was inside the penalty box, took a shot toward an the goal but was blocked by a Gael defender. Gonzaga evened the score at 69:56 when senior forward Ashley Riley punched in her fourth goal of the season. Geerdts' cross near the end line on the right side found Riley inside the penalty box.
Saint Mary's attempted to regain the lead one minute later. Cilento's blast to the upper left corner was blocked Ames. The Gaels held a 10-5 shots advantage in the second half.
After a combination of three shots in the first 10 minutes of overtime, the Gaels scored the match-winner when Ciliento's cross from the end line found Marada inside the penalty box.
The Gaels held a 19-14 shots advantage while the Bulldogs held a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Ames had four saves, Peters three.
"The energy was not enough today," Bulldogs head coach Amy Edwards said. "We were efficient in the first half with our finishing. But overall our energy was not there."
Prior to the match, the Bulldogs honored their seven seniors - Ames, Riley, Lindsay Hood, Catherine Cullen, Sheridan Jones, Elle Sweeney and Ashley Railey.
Gonzaga will close out the regular season at the University of San Francisco Saturday at 2 p.m.
