RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Gonzaga men's soccer team opened their 2023 season with a dramatic 2-1 win at UC Riverside Thursday. Chris Swider provided the difference in the final minute as the Zags escaped victorious.
 
Gonzaga (1-0-0) quickly opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Stefano Campisi had his first shot blocked, but a quick recovery and second shot found the back of the net to put GU up 1-0 early. It was Campisi's first goal as a Zag.
 
The score would remain 1-0 in favor of Gonzaga through the half, until the 60th minute when UC Riverside (0-1-0) equalized on a penalty kick. Luka Lukic rolled one into the back left corner of the net.
 
The Bulldogs continued to mount pressure throughout the second half, coming up short in nearly every attempt. It wasn't until the 90th minute that the tie was finally broken. A loose ball at the top of the penalty box found its way to Hudson Brunk who quickly found Swider for the game-winning goal.
 
Notable Numbers: Gonzaga goalkeeper Stuart Herringer made three saves on the night to keep the Highlanders to just one goal. Campisi led the Zags with four shots on the night as GU outshot UC Riverside 14-8. Ian Silva and Chris Swider added three shots each. Campisi and Swider combined for four of Gonzaga's five shots on goal, each recording two.
 
Gonzaga's win marks their first season opening win since 2017, a 2-1 overtime win at Bradley.
 
Up Next: The Bulldogs host Sacramento State in their home opener Sunday. The game is set for 7 p.m. and will stream on ESPN Plus. Live stats can be found at GoZags.com.