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Zags Head To California To Face USC and #5 UCLA
Sept. 9, 2009
Match 5
Match 6 THIS WEEK: Gonzaga University heads to California this week for matches against perennial national powers University of Southern California Friday and UCLA Sunday. The Bulldogs are coming off of a 2-0 win over Eastern Washington University this past Sunday and have won three of their first matches to start the 2009 season. FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS LIVE: All Gonzaga University home matches will be video streamed and available via Gametracker on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Check the Gonzaga web site to sign up for live video streaming and view other Gametracker links. LAST WEEK: Gonzaga University went 1-1 last week, dropping a 3-0 decision to Washington State University in Spokane before bouncing back a 2-0 road win over Eastern Washington University Sunday. Lori Conrad's team leading third goal of the season came in the third minute and Jessie Sorenson found the back of the net in the 89th minuted to support Jessie Thalman's first shutout of the season. COMING UP: Next week Gonzaga University host Seattle University on Thursday and the University of Idaho Sunday Sept. 20 before playing its following seven matches on the road. After next week's matchups, the Zags won't play at home until University of San Francisco and Saint Mary's College come to Spokane for West Coast Conference matches on Oct. 23 and 25. ZAGS RANKED AMONG WEST REGION'S TOP TEAMS: This week's NSCAA NCAA West Region rankings sees Gonzaga University at No. 10 for the second consecutive week. Five other West Coast Conference members also appear in the region's rankings as do the Zags opponent this Sunday, UCLA who appears at No. 2 in the Pacific region's rankings. SCHEDULE PROVIDING TOUGH TESTS: Gonzaga University is slated to match up with six teams that made an appearance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament along with playing four of its seven West Coast Conference matches on the road in 2009. Both of the Zags opponents this week made appearances in last season's NCAA Tournament as Southern California advanced to the third round and UCLA advanced all the way to the College Cup semifinal. ABOUT THE USC TROJANS: The University of Southern California enters the match against Gonzaga University with a 1-3-0 overall record this season and has won its only meeting with the Bulldogs, a 1-0 decision in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Megan Ohai paces the club with two goals while Samantha Johnson has added one goal and two assists for the Trojans this season. Head coach Ali Khosroshahin is in his third year at USC and owns a 37-11-4 record at the school including a 2007 National Championship. ABOUT THE UCLA BRUINS: UCLA enters the week with a 3-1-1 overall record and ranked as high as No. 5 in the Soccer Times national poll. The Bruins are coming off an impressive week, posting wins over No. 11 University of Illinois and then No. 6 University of Florida. UCLA has won the only previous meeting with Gonzaga University, a 1-0 decision in Westwood, Calif. in 2006. Sidney Leroux leads the Bruins with six goals and 13 points while goalkeeper Chante' Sandiford owns a 0.48 GAA and has posted two shutouts this season. Head coach Jillian Ellis is in her 11th season at UCLA and owns a 198-35-12 career record at the school. EDWARDS RECORDS CAREER WIN NO. 50: Gonzaga University's 2-0 win over Eastern Washington last Sunday was the Bulldogs first year head coach Amy Edwards third victory with the Zags and the 50th win in her career. Edwards came to Gonzaga with 47 career victories with all coming during her four-year stint at the University of Tulsa. CONRAD CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY: Gonzaga University senior midfielder Lori Conrad came into her final season at GU with three career goals and has since doubled her career total with team-highs of three goals and seven points through four matches this season. The Richland, Wash. native has found the back of the net each time via header, twice off of corner kicks from Sheridan Jones in each of the season's first two matches and once off of a Morgan Manchester throw in during this past Sunday's 2-0 win over Eastern Washington University. NOW ENTERING THE MATCH: Gonzaga University first year head coach Amy Edwards has implemented a new style of play this season that will see the Zags apply offensive pressure throughout the match. The new style of play requires the Zags to rely on the good amount of depth at each position in order to keep fresh legs on the field. The large amount of depth as seen the Bulldogs use at least 20 of its 26 active players in three of its first four matches this season. 22 players appeared in its season-opening victory over the University of Montana, 21 made it onto the pitch in the Aug. 28 win over McNeese State University and 20 players recorded minutes in the Zags 2-0 win over Eastern Washington University this past Sunday. PERMISSION TO FIRE: Gonzaga University launched a season-high 30 shots in this past Sunday's 2-0 win at Eastern Washington University surpassing its previous season high of 29 shots which came in the 3-1 win over McNeese State University Aug. 28. The Zags had 12 players record shots against EWU and 10 players fire on net against MSU.
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