Oct. 31, 2003
Box Score
SPOKANE, Wash.- The University of San Diego scored two early goals, then fought off a comeback attempt by Gonzaga University to remain undefeated in West Coast Conference play with a 2-1 victory at Marin Field on Friday. The 10th-ranked Toreros (12-2-2) ran their WCC record to 4-0-0 to take sole possession of first place over idle Santa Clara University (3-0-0). It was also USD's 11th straight victory. Gonzaga (5-8-1; 0-3-0) lost its fifth straight match for its longest losing streak since 1994.
The Toreros wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Alex Romagnolo scored his first goal of the season at 1:23. He took a cross from Eric Wunderle while breaking down the right side of the box and had a wide-open shot at the net.
USD made it 2-0 at 17:16 as Matt McCausland scored his fourth goal of the season as he and Scott Burcar played a game of mouse with the Gonzaga defense with a couple of back and forth passes and McCausland took the right-to-left pass and put it past Gonzaga keeper Vito Higgins.
The Toreros dominated the territorial play in the first half, but the Bulldogs' Arni Ingi Pjetursson had two excellent scoring opportunities. His first came at 11:19 when his wide open shot of the bouncing ball from point blank range off a corner kick went over the crossbar as he got the kick away while falling backwards.
Pjetursson's second great scoring chance was another point blank shot off a corner that USD keeper Lance Friesz thwarted at 33:18.
USD almost made it 3-0 at 31:42 when Eric Wunderle's header seemed destined for the net but deflected off a Gonzaga defender in the 6-yard box and the Bulldogs were able to clear the loose ball.
Gonzaga got back into the contest early in the second half when Kari Arnason's fifth goal of the season closed the gap to 2-1. Arnason got the ball from about 25 yards as USD was clearing a Gonzaga corner, and he wheeled a rifled a high, hard shot that Friesz could not get his out-stretched hand on. The goal tied Arnason for the team lead.
The Bulldogs kept the pressure on USD for the equalizer and had most of the territorial advantage but the Bulldogs were able to get just one shot following the Arnason goal, that an open shot from 20 yards by Scott Campbell that sailed over the net in the 84th minute.
USD successfully defended a Gonzaga corner with less than four minutes to play, and the Toreros controlled most of the play the remainder of the match.
After a wide open first half that saw USD hold an 8-5 shots advantage, the teams got three shots each in the second half. GU's Higgins and USD's Friesz each had three saves.
USD will be at Portland for a 1 p.m. match on Sunday. SCU will be at Saint Mary's on Sunday as USD and SCU head toward their Nov. 8 showdown at Santa Clara.
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
SAN DIEGO TOREROS... 2 0 - 2
GONZAGA BULLDOGS.... 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 1:23 USD Romagnolo, Alex (1) (Wunderle, Eric)
2. 17:16 USD McCausland, Matt (4) (Burcar, Scott)
3. 59:47 GON ARNASON, Kari (5) (unassisted)
Shots: SAN DIEGO TOREROS 11, GONZAGA BULLDOGS 8
Saves: SAN DIEGO TOREROS 3 (Friesz, Lance 3), GONZAGA BULLDOGS 4 (HIGGINS, Vito 3; TEAM 1)
