Gonzaga Moves up in National Rankings
10/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 25, 2005
SPOKANE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University women's soccer team continued its upward movement in the national polls, moving to No. 20 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 poll, No. 21 in the Soccer America top-25 poll, No. 23 in the Soccer Buzz top-30 poll, and were in the others receiving votes category in the Soccer Times top-25 poll.
The Bulldogs registered back-to-back shutouts this past weekend defeating the University of San Diego 1-0 on Friday and battling to a 0-0 tie with No. 5 Santa Clara University on Sunday, moving their unbeaten streak to four. The 0-0 tie against Santa Clara was the programs's first tie against the Broncos ending a 12-match SCU win streak, it also marked the first tie against a top-5 team in program history. The 1-0 win against USD on Friday gave the Bulldogs their 11th win of the season, tying a program record for most single-season wins. The Bulldogs are now off to the best West Coast Conference start in program history at 2-1-2 and are off to their best start in program history at 11-3-3.
In the 1-0 win over the Toreros, Gonzaga had its lone goal come from sophomore Cristin Leverson in the 21st minute. Junior defender Beth Drollinger sent a cross from the right side of the field to the left side of the USD goal box, and Leverson hit a one-timer past the USD `keeper for the only goal GU would need. In that match, senior goalkeeper Ashley Haugen registered three saves en route to her eighth shutout of the season breaking the single-season shutout record that she set as a freshman in 2002. Haugen also recorded four saves in the 0-0 tie with Santa Clara, and for her efforts this past weekend she was named the WCC Co-Player of the Week for the second consecutive week and third time in the last four weeks, and was named to Top Drawer Soccer's National Team of the Week.
The 20th-ranked Bulldogs will head to Northern California for their lone match of the week against Saint Mary's College. The WCC match is scheduled for a noon start at Saint Mary's Stadium.
