Zags Welcome Denver In Non-Conference Finale
9/28/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Gonzaga (5-3-1) vs. Denver (5-4-0)
SATURDAY, SEP. 30 | 7 P.M. | SPOKANE, WASH. | LUGER FIELD
| theW.tv
SERIES HISTORY:
- The Zags and Pioneers last played in 2015, a 1-2 Denver win in Colorado. The match, which was televised live on Altitude TV, saw Colton Cavey assist Alec Johnson to tie the game in the 48th minute. DU won on a penalty kick in the 52nd minute.
- The Zags won neutral site games in 2001 and 2003, both by a score of 1-0. Air Force hosted the teams in 2003 and the teams played in Portland in 2001. Gonzaga assistant coach Vito Higgins pitched the shutout in goal in 2003.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS:
- The Pioneers were ranked nationally in the top-five in the preseason polls after advancing to the NCAA National Semifinals a season ago.
- They have fallen out of the rankings since with a 5-4 start. They picked up their first road win on Tuesday at Saint Louis.
- The Pioneers were 11-1-1 in 2014, 14-0-1 in 2015 and 18-0-0 in 2016 when scoring the first goal. The Pioneers have recorded double-digit wins in each of the five seasons.
- On September 17 the Pioneers lost 1-0 to Saint Mary's in Denver.
UNBEATEN WEEKEND:
- The Zags looked strong at home last weekend, ending in a 0-0 draw against No. 20 Air Force and defeating Utah Valley 2-1, who has been ranked nationally as well this season.
- Christ Michaelson had an assist and a goal in the win over Utah Valley. Jalen Crisler's game-saving kick save in the final minutes was number one on the West Coast Conference's Top Plays of the Week.
CONFERENCE ON THE HORIZON:
- The Denver match wraps up the non-conference schedule for Gonzaga. They are chasing six non-conference wins for the second-straight season and third time since 1999.
FOUR AGAIN:
- The Zags scored four goals in two of their first six games for the second-consecutive season after beating CSUB 4-1.
- The Bulldogs are in the middle a four-match home stand, the longest since a six-match slate in 2015.
WHITEOUT:
- Gonzaga senior Ben White is off to a hot start this season, he is currently 25th in the nation in assists per game at .56. He has scored or given the assist on seven of GU's 13 goals this season.
WHERE THERE IS A WILLIS THERE IS A WAY:
- Junior goalkeeper Ben Willis has already pitched three shutouts this season, good for 40th in the nation and second in the WCC.
- Willis is also climbing the career ranks at GU, already fifth all-time with six career shutouts. His 95 career saves currently rank eighth and his career 1.33 goals against average is third.
I'LL BE HOME FOR SEPTEMBER:
- The Bulldogs will play seven home matches in the month of September.
- That is the most home matches in September since 1987, but they only played one school outside the state that month.
