Another 110 Minutes, Another Double-Ovetime Tie For Zags
10/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Gonzaga University women's soccer team registered its seventh shutout of the season and second-straight double-overtime tie Sunday with its scoreless draw at Loyola Marymount University. The Bulldogs came out of its opening West Coast Conference weekend with two points and a 0-0-2 mark and are now 7-4-2 overall. The Lions dropped to 0-1-1 in league play and are now 6-5-1 overall.
"I'm pleased with effort today and am happy with the tie," stated third year head coach Amy Edwards. "We were a much better soccer team today, especially after playing 110 minutes on Friday. This match and Friday's match provided a lot of confidence for our players; we may not have gotten the win but we also did not give the game away. We want to keep building on this result today."
The Lions had the first attempt at breaking the scoreless tie 27 minutes into the opening half when Linda Bakker was able to get to Gonzaga's endline and serve in a cross. LMU sub Erin Rementer retrieved the cross and cracked a shot but it luckily went high over the goal.
Bulldog senior Sarah Rhodes, who scored the lone goal Friday at Saint Mary's, tried a long distance shot with eight minutes remaining before half, but like Rementer's shot, it also was off the mark high.
Loyola Marymount again put the pressure on Gonzaga and keeper Susan Brown late in the half. Etajha Gilmer, known for her long throw-ins, threw the ball deep into the Bulldogs goal mouth, finding the head of Darien Pyka. Brown was there for the diving save though.
The Lions controlled the play early in the second half as Tawni Martino peppered Brown with two shots within minutes of each other, including one that she had to dive and save.
Gonzaga finally settled down and controlled play for the final two-thirds of the second half, serving in dangerous balls and working Loyola Marymount's defense down the flank.
The Bulldogs best opportunity came at the 62:29 mark. Freshman defender Katey Pennington moved the ball up the right flank, and, after her initial cross was blocked she gathered the ball once again and pushed it towards the middle of the goal finding junior Emily Hutchins, who was playing up top for GU. Hutchins shot unfortunately went wide.
As time dwindled down, overtime loomed once again for Gonzaga, whose match at Saint Mary's Friday ended after two overtimes at 1-1.
Both teams earned two corner kicks in the extra periods, but nothing came of any of them.
And then Rhodes looked like she was once again going to be the savior for the Bulldogs. After being defended closely all match, she finally found space and broke free down the middle of the Lions half with less than two minutes remaining in the final period. After three dribbles, and with a defender on her heels, Rhodes blasted her marquee long-range shot but it flew mere inches wide of the right post.
"That shot just went wide," stated Edwards of Rhodes' golden opportunity.
The seventh shutout by Brown and Gonzaga is the second most since the 2005 squad closed out the season with 11. Brown, who finished with three saves, now has a goals-against-average of 0.95.
"Susan was solid again for us today," explained Edwards. "Susan and the defense did their job; we were short on the attacking end."
The Bulldogs return to Spokane to host its league opener Thursday at the Gonzaga Soccer Field. GU will play the University of San Francisco at 3 p.m.
