Zags at No. 4 Pepperdine; Host No. 12 Santa Clara
10/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Match 16
Friday, Oct. 21
Gonzaga at No. 4 Pepperdine, 3 p.m.
Malibu, Calif. - Tari Frahm Rokus Field
Gametracker available at GoZags.com
Series Record: Pepperdine leads the all-time series 12-5-1
What happened in 2010?: GU earned a 1-0 OT decision in Spokane on Oct. 15
Match 17
Sunday, Oct. 23
No. 12 Santa Clara at Gonzaga, 1 p.m.
Spokane, Wash. - Gonzaga Soccer Stadium
Live stats and video available at GoZags.com
Series Record: Santa Clara leads the all-time series 15-1-2
What happened in 2010?: GU dropped a 5-0 decision at SCU on Oct. 22
TOUGHEST TEST OF THE YEAR THIS WEEK; ZAGS PLAY TWO RANKED OPPONENTS: The Gonzaga University women's soccer team has a tough week ahead as it plays at No. 4 Pepperdine University Friday and hosts No. 12 Santa Clara University Sunday for 'Senior Day'. The Bulldogs match at the Waves will start at 3 p.m. and their match against the Broncos is set to begin at 1 p.m.
THIS WEEK'S MATCH PROMOTIONS:
Sunday, Oct. 23 vs. Santa Clara University
Jr. Zag Day - Jr. Zag Club members will receive a voucher for FREE candy from the concession stand and will have the chance to win a soccer ball autographed by the Zags!
Senior Sendoff - Join us as we honor the team's seniors in a pre-game ceremony!
ABOUT THE PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY WAVES: The Pepperdine University women's soccer team is currently ranked No. 4 in the latest NSCAA Top 25 poll with its 11-0-4 overall record and 3-0-0 mark in West Coast Conference play. The Waves four ties are to UCLA (1-1), LSU (1-1), Cal Poly (1-1) and Fresno State (1-1). Pepperdine has allowed just eight goals this season, including just one at Tari Frahm Rokus Field. The Waves themselves have tallied 31 goals, led by Anisa Guajardo with nine. Lynn Williams is second in goals with five and has collected a team-high seven assists. Roxanne Barker has played 1411 minutes in goal for Pepperdine, making 62 saves and has a 0.50 goals against average. Pepperdine is coached by Tim Ward in his 14th year at the helm.
ABOUT THE SANTA CLARA BRONCOS: The Santa Clara University women's soccer team is currently ranked No. 12 in the latest NSCAA Top 25 poll with 9-1-5 overall mark and 2-0-1 West Coast Conference record. The Broncos lone loss of the season came at the hands of No. 1 ranked Stanford University by the score of 2-0. Four of SCU's five ties came in a stretch from Sept. 2-Sept. 9 having tied then No. 21 Oregon State (1-1), Oregon (0-0), then-No. 8 Notre Dame (1-1) and then-No. 11 UC Irvine (1-1). Similar to Gonzaga's other opponent this week, Pepperdine University, Santa Clara too has only allowed eight goals this season for a 0.49 goals against average. The Broncos have tallied 28 goals themselves this year with 10 players scoring at least one goal. SCU is led by Julia Johnston and Sophia Huerta. Johnston has scored eight goals and assisted on three others, while Huerta has scored seven goals and notched one assist. Santa Clara is coached by Jerry Smith in his 25th season at the helm.
BULLDOGS TO HONOR FOUR SENIORS SUNDAY: The Gonzaga University women's soccer program will recognize four seniors before Sunday's match against Santa Clara University. Being honored pre-game are Sarah Rhodes, Casey Gould, Caitlyn Salo and Katie Spangenberg.
ANOTHER RECORD LOOMS FOR RHODES: Gonzaga University women's soccer senior Sarah Rhodes, the Bulldogs all-time assists leader, can become the GU single-season assists leader, needing just one to break the current record. Rhodes is currently tied for the single-season record with seven with both Claire Whitfield (1999) and teammate Cassie Geerdts (2010).
SEASON SHUTOUTS STAND AT SEVEN: The Gonzaga University women's soccer team has collected seven shutouts this season, six in victories and one in a scoreless double-overtime tie. The seven shutouts ties the third-most in school history. The 2008 and 2006 squads also finished their respective seasons with seven shutouts. The most shutouts in a season is 11 set in 2005. In 2007 the Zags had eight shutouts.
RHODES THE SCHOOL RECORD HOLDER FOR ASSISTS: Gonzaga University women's soccer senior Sarah Rhodes is now the Bulldogs all-time assists leader. Rhodes, who came into the season with 11 assists, now has assisted on seven this season for her school-record 18. The assist that broke the record came in the Zags 2-0 victory at Seattle University, Sept. 30. The previous record holder was Sarah Streufert with 15 (1997-00).
RHODES MOVING UP IN CAREER RECORD BOOK: Gonzaga University women's soccer senior Sarah Rhodes had scored four goals and notched seven assists this season for a team-leading 15 points. She has now scored 16 career goals which ranks her fifth on the all-time Gonzaga goals list. Rhodes' career assist total sits at 17 which is the school record. Overall, she has collected 48 total points, third on the all-time GU points list.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: The Gonzaga University women's soccer team has scored 21 goals this season, with nine players scoring at least one goal. The senior combo of Emma Dolcetti and Sarah Rhodes leads the team with four goals each, while sophomore Ali Ohashi and freshman Tori Lee have each notched three a piece. It goes the same for assists; Gonzaga has tallied 23 assists, with nine players having one or more assist. Rhodes has seven assists and freshman Katey Pennington has four to lead the Bulldogs.
CRICKET HAS A FOOT IN TWO OF THREE GOALS VERSUS IDAHO: Gonzaga University women's soccer freshman Harber Cricket had a hand in two of the Bulldogs three goals in their 3-0 shutout over the University of Idaho, Sept. 23. Harber put the Bulldogs up 1-0 at the 12:04 mark after she gathered a loose ball in the box and easily placed it passed Vandal goalkeeper Caroline Towles; for her first goal of her collegiate career. A little over five minutes later, Gonzaga scored its second goal with Harber getting credited with the assist. Harber's free kick from just inside half field found sophomore midfielder Ali Ohashi who was there to score her second goal in as many games.
HUTCHINS RETURNS TO THE LINEUP WITH A BANG: Gonzaga University women's soccer junior Emily Hutchins returned to the lineup against Washington State University after missing four matches due to an injury. Her presence was felt immediately as she scored a goal 28 minutes in to give GU a 1-0 advantage. With a foul called 30 yards out, senior midfield Sarah Rhodes lifted a ball to the back side of the goal which found the head of classmate Emma Dolcetti. Dolcetti headed the ball back towards the left side of the goal to the waiting Hutchins who headed home her first goal of the season and her seventh career at the 27:27 mark of the first half.
DOLCETTI RETURNS TO SQUAD AND BOLSTERS OFFENSE: Gonzaga University redshirt junior Emma Dolcetti, who returned to the Zags lineup this season after a season-ending injury in the first match of the 2010 campaign, has scored a team-high four goals this season. Dolcetti had the match-winner in GU's 1-0 victory over Weber State University Sept. 2. She then tallied two goals, including the match-winner again, in the Zags 4-0 victory at Eastern Washington University, Sept. 10. She scored the first goal in the 10th minute for the match-winner. Dolcetti then scored a perfectly-timed header off Sarah Rhodes corner kick to all but put the match away and give Gonzaga 3-0 lead in 52nd minute. Her most recent goal was the insurance goal in the Bulldogs 2-0 win against the University of Montana.
NEWCOMERS HOOK UP FOR FIRST GOAL OF SEASON: Gonzaga University women's soccer freshmen Tori Lee and Katey Pennington each had a first in a Bulldog uniform during the opening weekend of the 2011 season. Pennington, a defender from Boise, Idaho, and Lee, a midfielder from Kirkland, Wash., combined for the Bulldogs first goal, coming in their 5-1 setback to No. 24 University of Illinois, Aug. 19. The play started with GU's first corner kick of the final half. Illinois wasn't able to clear the corner taken by Lee and freshman Katey Pennington neatly gathered the loose ball and found the head of Lee, who had made her way back towards goal.
COACHES TAB ZAGS TIE FOR EIGHTH: The West Coast Conference coaches have tabbed Gonzaga University women's soccer to finish tied for eighth with the University of San Francisco this season. Both teams received 13 points in the voting process. Even with the addition of national powerhouse BYU, the coaches still believe University of Portland is the team to beat, receiving six first place votes and collecting 61 points. Santa Clara University (53 points and two first place votes) and BYU (53 points and one first place vote) were picked as the runner-ups in the league. Rounding out the rest of the league is the University of San Diego (47 points), Loyola Marymount University (33 points), Pepperdine University (31 points), Saint Mary's College (20 points), Gonzaga and San Francisco.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS LIVE: All Gonzaga University home matches will be video streamed and available via live stats on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Check the Gonzaga website to sign up for live video streaming.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS ON TWITTER: Follow every step of the Gonzaga University's women's soccer season at www.twitter.com/zagswsoccer. Fans can also follow head coach Amy Edwards at www.twitter.com/amyedwards. You can also get instant game scores and updates at the official Bulldog athletic twitter site at www.twitter.com/GonzagaBulldogs.
