BERKELEY, Calif.—Playing the final match of a long road trip, the Gonzaga University men's soccer team kept pace with 18th-ranked California for 74 minutes Sunday before falling 1-0 to the Bears at Edwards Stadium in Berkeley, Calif.
"The guys played awesome today," said Gonzaga head coach Einar Thorarinsson. "They really stepped up and played even against a highly-ranked team. We could have won it; we had a couple of good looks that we didn't put away. They really only had one chance and they took it."
The Zags' defense shined Sunday by holding the Bears, who had entered the day averaging 3.7 goals a match, to just one goal, and that coming in the 76th minute. Gonzaga also limited California to seven shots on goal, the Bears' fewest of the 2014 season.
California's game-winner came in the 76th minute. At the 75:05 mark. Cal's Jose Carrera-Garcia finished off a low cross from Connor Hallisey into the far post, past Gonzaga keeper Chris Lowrimore.
"We got beat down the right side and they penetrated," said Thorarinsson of the goal," and they beat Chris to the far post."
Carrera-Garcia's shot was the only ball that got past Lowrimore. The redshirt junior made six saves on the 15 shots he faced. Sunday's match was the already third time he made at least six saves in 2014.
The Bulldogs had a couple opportunities to score themselves by taking six shots in the first half, two of which were on frame. In all, the Zags took 10 shots and attempted four corner kicks. Lars Ludwigs led all players with four shots in the match, and two of Conner Bevans' shots were on target.
Gonzaga (0-5-0) wrapped up its longest road trip of the season with the match at Cal and now returns home for a contest at Luger Field in Spokane, Wash. The Zags will welcome UNLV Sat., Sept. 20, for a match that begins at 1:00 p.m. in just their second home match of the season.
