Gonzaga University
Trinity Western
Funkhouser Gets Goal, Assist As Bulldogs Open With Win
9/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 1, 2009
SPOKANE, Wash. - Ben Funkhouser had a goal and an assist and Gonzaga University converted a pair of penalty kicks in a 5-1 season-opening men's soccer victory over Trinity Western University of Langley, British Columbia, Tuesday at Gonzaga Soccer Field.
The match was the first of six in a span of the next 13 days, and head coach Einar Thorarinsson rested several starters in the second half.
The start of the second half was delayed by lightning when it was sighted shortly after the start of halftime. Per NCAA rules, 30 minutes must elapse without further lightning in a 6-mile area before play can resume.
The Bulldogs used some lightning of their own in the opening half. Senior defender Tim Muravez got the Bulldogs on the board at 19:30 when he headed Funkhouser's corner kick past TWU keeper Andrew Kowan. Less than four minutes later the Bulldogs had a 2-0 lead when Spokane freshman James Matern scored his first collegiate goal at 23:12 on a shot from inside the six with assists from Tye Perdido, last year's leading scorer, and Nick Love.
Nick Barclay, last year's West Coast Conference Defender of the Year, converted the first Bulldog penalty kick at 37:03, beating Kowan to the lower right corner. The PK was award when freshman Stefan Thor Eysteinsson was taken down on the dribble inside the 18.
With a 3-0 halftime lead, Thorarinsson rested starters Barclay, Perdido, Love, Mitchell Weller and Cameron Ballantyne. Thorarinsson played 19 players, including redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jeff Renslo who replaced starter Scott Barnum in the 81st minute.
"We have a lot of matches coming up and it was a chance to save some legs," Thorarinsson said of his bench-clearing tactic in the second half.
Perdido, Barclay, Love and Ballantyne actually departed in the 31st minute of the opening half.
"We played well the first half, but we had too many holes in the second half," Thorarinsson said.
Eysteinsson, a junior from Iceland who arrived in the United States the day prior to the start of camp, caught his fellow Icelander's attention.
"I thought he could play at this level," Thorarinsson said. "He is fast with the ball and makes things happen. I think he'll see a lot of playing time."
Matern, a graduate of Ferris High, also played well in his collegiate debut and didn't waste much time getting on the collegiate scoreboard.
"He can be an impact player," Thorarinsson said.
Joel Schilperoort, who missed last season after suffering a knee injury in the second match of the year, showed no ills signs of the injury.
"Joel was contributed today," Thorarinsson said. "I think he is another player who will see a lot of minutes this season if he continues to play like he did today."
It was Schilperoort's play that led to the second Gonzaga PK of the 92-degree day. Schilperoort made a nifty move around the defender dribbling in from the left wing and was tripped up by Kowan at the corner of the 6-yard box.
"I really wanted that one," Schilperoort said. "I was pleading to take the penalty kick but coach let Ben take it."
Funkhouser had a wide-open net to the lower left when Kowan anticipated and dove the opposite way at 69:33 for a 4-1 Bulldog lead. The final goal came from Philippe Garre, who drilled a shot from the top of the 18 and beat Kowan to the far left. Eysteinsson set up the goal for his first career point as a Bulldog.
The lone goal for the Spartans came at 59:27 as Shawn Parkes converted a scramble in front of the net to ruin Barnum's shutout bid. Nathan Pogue got credit for the assist.
Gonzaga held an 18-14 shots advantage. Kowan had a pair of saves, Barnum making the only two Bulldog saves in the match.
There were five yellow cards issued, three on TWU.
Gonzaga will take to the road this weekend, facing host Ohio State University Friday in the Bert and Iris Wolstein Classic, then taking on Penn State University Sunday as the Bulldogs venture into Big Ten country for a pair of matches.
