Zags Down UNLV For First Win of 2014
9/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SPOKANE, Wash.—The Gonzaga University men's soccer team entered Saturday's match with UNLV looking for two things: goals and a win. The Zags walked away with both, scoring four goals in a 4-2 victory over the Rebels at Luger Field in Spokane, Wash.
"We stuck to the game plan and were committed to the counter," said head coach Einar Thorarinsson. "Some issues with corners and free kicks, but overall four goals is four goals. We'll take it."
The first two of those four goals came from the feet of Jakob Granlund, a sophomore midfielder from Denmark. He opened scoring in the 14th minute when he booted a screamer from 22 yards out that curled into the right post. Lars Ludwigs tallied the assist on the opener, passing to Granlund to set up the score.
Twenty minutes later, the hosts received a bonus when UNLV's Connor Coletti fouled a Zag attacker on a breakaway, receiving a red card for fouling as the last defensive player before goal. Gonzaga took advantage of the man advantage when Granlund corralled a long pass over the defense from Conner Bevans. The sophomore then got around a defender and finished the play from 15 yards out to double the Zags' lead.
The Rebels drew even again in the second half, scoring twice in three minutes off a free kick from close range and then off a scramble in front of the Bulldog net.
Gonzaga wasn't done scoring either, though. Nine minutes later, Zach Hamer netted his first goal of the season in his first match of the season to give the Zags a permanent lead. Bevans worked his way into a dangerous position near the left post in front of the UNLV goal, drawing a few Rebel defenders. Hamer made a run to the right post, which Bevans noticed and passed the ball into space in front of Hamer. Hamer did the rest, putting the ball in the net from 12 yards out.
Already with two assists in the match, Bevans netted a goal for himself in the final minute of the match. On a counter attack, Bevans got the ball from about 30 yards out and got around a Rebel defender. He then finished the play with a strike for his first goal of the year and fourth point of the match.
"UNLV's a good offensive team, and they press, leaving holes in the back," said Thorarinsson. "We wanted to attack that, and we found it a couple times. I think Conner could have had another goal when he hit the post twice. He and Jakob had a good game today."
The Bulldogs (1-5-0) will hit the road once more with two non-conference matches next weekend. They travel to Palo Alto, Calif., for a match at Stanford Friday, Sept. 26, then will head north to Seattle and square off against in-state foe Seattle U on Sunday, Sept. 28.
