SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga University fell to Saint Mary's 1-0 on Saturday at Luger Field, with Saint Mary's scoring the lone goal in the first half.
The first half began with Gonzaga establishing early pressure through corner kicks and defensive resilience.
Chema Preciado made crucial saves, including stopping a shot from Bastian Toelhoej in the 21st minute, to keep the match level. The Bulldogs generated offensive opportunities, highlighted by
Terry Watson's shot in the 17th minute and multiple corner kick attempts, yet they were unable to convert.
As the half progressed, Saint Mary's (CA) found chances, narrowly missing with shots hitting the woodwork. The visitors capitalized late in the half, scoring in the 45th minute to take a 1-0 lead into halftime. GU's defense held firm for much of the half, but they entered the break trailing by one goal.
The second half commenced with a shot attempt by Saint Mary's Jaydon Whittaker, which went wide in the 49th minute. Preciado made a crucial save against Kayvon Monfared's shot in the 51st minute, maintaining the scoreline and showcasing defensive resilience. Gonzaga's
Drew Pedersen had a notable attempt in the 55th minute, but his shot was saved by Sam Bentley.
As the half advanced, both teams exchanged shots and defensive plays, with
Michael Luande's attempt going wide in the 68th minute. The Zags held firm defensively, with Preciado making another key save against Sam Danner's shot in the 89th minute. The half concluded with no goals added, and the game ended with a 1-0 score in favor of Saint Mary's.
Preciado recorded four saves while allowing one goal in his 90 minutes of play.
Ian Silva contributed with one shot on goal, creating a scoring opportunity for the team. Pedersen registered two shots, with one being on target, demonstrating his active presence in the attack.
GU stands at 4-7-3 overall and 1-4-2 in conference play. Saint Mary's (CA) holds a 2-6-6 overall record, with a 2-3-2 mark in conference competition.
In their next game, the Bulldogs will travel to face San Diego on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.
