Gonzaga University
Loyola Marymnt
Bulldogs Drop WCC Soccer Opener
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2004
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Freshman Tyler Mehl scored a pair of first-half goals and that was all Loyola Marymount University need to defeat Gonzaga University 2-0 in the West Coast Conference men's soccer opener for both teams Friday at Sullivan Field.
LMU Senior Shaun Kalnasy recorded three saves for his first shutout of the year in dropping the Bulldogs to 4-5 overall. All five Gonzaga losses have been by shutout. The Lions won their second straight game to improve to 3-3-2 overall.
The loss also extended the Bulldogs WCC losing streak to nine games over the past three seasons, Gonzaga going 0-6-0 in WCC play last season and losing the final two matches of the 2002 campaign. The Bulldogs also lost their third straight to the Lions after winning four straight from 1998-01, but the Bulldogs still lead the overall series 8-4-1.
Mehl put the Lions onto the board at 16:42 after Junior Ybarra drove a free kick into a crowd in front of the Gonzaga goal and Mehl was able to deflect the ball past Gonzaga keeper Sean Sosnovec. He gave the Lions a cushion about 20 minutes later when Danny Williams headed a pass from Diego Barrera toward the Bulldog goal, but Sosnovec was able to knock the ball down. He could not control the ball and Mehl took advantage, blasting a shot into the left side of the goal for his fourth goal of the season.
Sosnovec had 6 saves for the Bulldogs as LMU held a 12-9 shots advantage.
Gonzaga will conclude a six-match road trip Sunday at the University of San Diego in a 2:30 p.m. match. That is a time change as some early schedules reflected a 1 p.m. starting time. Gonzaga will return home one week from Sunday to face Santa Clara University in the Bulldogs WCC home opener.
