Gonzaga University
Santa Clara
Penalty Kick In Final Minute Hands Bulldogs Loss At SCU
10/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 4, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Brandon Zimmerman's penalty kick at 89:15 broke up a scoreless battle and gave Santa Clara University a 1-0 victory over Gonzaga University in a West Coast Conference men's soccer match Sunday afternoon.
The setback left the Bulldogs (3-4-2; 0-2-0) winless on the first weekend of WCC play after having dropped a 2-0 decision Friday at Saint Mary's College. SCU (3-5-2; 1-1-0) split its weekend series after losing to the University of Portland in Friday's opener.
Gonzaga keeper Scott Barnum was the standout, albeit the hard-luck loser, in this contest. After having given up five goals in his last three halves of action - he was replaced in the second half Friday at SMC - the senior came back to deny the Broncos time after time and keep the Bulldogs in the contest.
He had seven saves - six in the first half - as the Broncos launched 17 shots, eight of them on goal.
But it came down to the penalty kick.
Zimmerman had dribbled into the box, hesitated to try and fake a defender in front of him and was taken down from behind. His penalty kick sailed over the diving Barnum.
The Broncos created several scoring chances early, Barnum with three of his saves in the first 15 minutes of action. His best save of the afternoon came on an Erik Hurtado breakaway. Hurtado took a perfect pass from the midfield and broke in, but Barnum was up to the task.
The Bulldogs had nine shots in the match, and both second-half shots by the Bulldogs were the only ones they had on goal for the match as SCU keeper Larry Jackson had a much easier day in the nets than his Zag counterpart.
The Bulldogs have now gone three straight matches without a goal since defeating Binghamton 2-1 in overtime Sept. 18 at the Nike/TLC Plumbing and Utilities Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico.
Sunday's loss snapped Gonzaga's two-match winning streak against the Broncos as Gonzaga had swept the season series last year for the first time since round-robin play began in the WCC in 2004. Gonzaga had also gone 2-0-1 at SCU the past three years.
The Bulldogs return home this week for their WCC home openers when Loyola Marymount visits Friday at 3 p.m. followed by the University of San Diego Sunday at 1 p.m.
