Men's Soccer Brings Curtain Down On Season At Home
11/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Men's Soccer Match Facts
Friday, November 11 - vs. Santa Clara University, 1 p.m.
Sunday, November 13 - vs. University of San Francisco
END OF REGULAR SEASON
ALL TIMES PACIFIC TIME ZONE
BULLDOGS END 2011 SEASON: Gonzaga University's men's soccer team brings the season down on the 2011 season this weekend when the Bulldogs entertain Santa Clara University and the University of San Francisco for a pair of West Coast Conference matches. The Broncos are up first with a Friday match at 1 p.m. while the Dons visit Gonzaga Soccer Field Sunday at noon for Senior Day festivities.
ROLE OF THE SPOILER: While Gonzaga University is out of the title picture, the Bulldogs can play the role of the spoiler. Santa Clara University is one of five teams still in the thick of the West Coast Conference chase in a three-way tie for third with 16 points behind league-leading University of San Diego (19 points) and Saint Mary's College (17 points). The University of Portland and Loyola Marymount University are also knotted with the Broncos.
ESCAPING THE CELLAR: Gonzaga University is looking to escape the West Coast Conference cellar. The Bulldogs need to win both matches this weekend, and get a little help from the University of Portland. If the Bulldogs are to catch the University of San Francisco and move into a sixth-place tie, the Dons must lose Friday's match at Portland. That would leave Gonzaga and USF tied for sixth place with 13 points.
SENIORS BID ADIEU: Three Gonzaga University seniors will play their final match in a Gonzaga uniform Sunday. Forward Colin Flynn (Douglas, Alaska), forward Mitchell Weller (Cheney, Wash.) and goalkeeper Jeff Renslo (Seattle, Wash.) will say good-bye. Renslo has another year of eligibility remaining, but since he redshirted one season he will graduate in May and already has a job lined up so is going to forgo his final year of collegiate eligibility. Here's a breakdown of what the seniors have done heading into the final weekend of their careers:
18 Colin Flynn, F - Has played in 63 matches, scored 8 goals, has 1 assist and 17 points...has scored two match-winning goals including this year's match against Seattle University, a 3-0 GU victory.
9 Mitch Weller, F - Has played in 69 matches with 3 goals, 4 assists and 10 points...had one match-winning goal his freshman season in a 2-1 win at the University of Portland.
00 Jeff Renslo, GK - Did not play his first two seasons at Gonzaga...played in two matches last season and five this season...will start Sunday's match against USF...career GAA of 2.31.
HAMER SIDELINED: Sophomore Nick Hamer is the latest injury casualty for Gonzaga University, suffering a foot injury last weekend. It was first thought he had broken a metatarsal, but further examination revealed no break but he will miss the final two matches of the season this weekend. He joins sophomore defender Andrew Owenson (broken foot) and Justin Hill (concussion) on the sidelines.
BULLDOGS VS. BRONCOS: Gonzaga University suffered a 2-0 setback at Santa Clara University the first weekend of the West Coast Conference season. Gonzaga has lost five straight matches to the Broncos since winning both meetings in 2008, 2-1 in overtime at home followed by a 3-2 victory at Buck Shaw Stadium on the SCU campus. Santa Clara leads the series 15-8-3.
BULLDOGS VS. DONS: Gonzaga University and the University of San Francisco opened West Coast Conference play this season in San Francisco, the Dons taking a 1-0 overtime victory. The Bulldogs hold a narrow 13-12-1 edge in the series. The Bulldogs lone win in WCC play last season came at home against the Dons 3-1. USF came back to take the second meeting 2-0 in San Francisco. Gonzaga swept the 2009 series, winning 2-0 on the road and 2-1 at home.
COACHING MILESTONE: Gonzaga University head coach Einar Thorarinsson coached his 300th match as a Zag Oct. 9 of this year, a 3-2 double-overtime victory over the University of San Diego. Thorarinsson joined the Bulldogs in 1995, his first victory a 3-0 home win over UC Irvine.
CABALLERO SAVES: Goalkeeper Ryan Caballero needs three saves to break the Gonzaga University single-season record which he currently shares with Mike McCarthy. Caballero made 91 saves last season to equal McCarthy's mark set in 2002. His 180 career saves rank fifth on the all-time GU charts. Current Gonzaga assistant coach Vito Higgins holds the career mark with 305 from 2003-07. Caballero's three saves this season rank tied for seventh with Josh Fouts (1997) and his four career shutouts are fifth all-time. Caballero ranks ninth in the NCAA ranks this season in total saves with 89 and is 14th in saves/match with 5.56.
THE THORARINSSON FILE: Einar Thorarinsson is in his 17th season at Gonzaga University. He has taken the Bulldogs to two NCAA Tournaments, the first in 2001 and the last in 2007. Thorarinsson is the winningest coach in Bulldog men's soccer history with a 134-141-26 record. He earned his third WCC Coach of the Year honor in 2005, and won his 100th Gonzaga match in 2006. For Thorarinsson's complete biography click here.
ON THE WEB: All Gonzaga University home matches and selected road contests will be available on video through the Zags Sports Channel online subscription available by at http://www.gozags.com. Live Stats will be available free of charge for all home matches and selected road contests through the Gonzaga website.
