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Men's Soccer Blanked 5-0
Nov. 8, 2003
MORAGA, Calif. - Gonzaga University's men's soccer team suffered its worst loss since 1995 Saturday when Saint Mary's College posted a 5-0 victory in a West Coast Conference match. The setback was the worst since a 5-0 loss at the University of San Diego in 1995. Saturday's loss was the seventh straight for the Bulldogs (5-10-1; 0-5-0), their longest losing streak since opening the 1994 season with seven straight losses. Anthony Butler and Matthew Fitzgerald score two goals each for the Gaels (8-11-0; 2-4-0), who relegated Gonzaga to the WCC cellar with the victory. Gonzaga ends the season next Saturday at the University of San Francisco. Saint Mary's opened the scoring at 5:04 when Butler scored his third goal of the season five minutes into the match. Butler received the pass from Niles Almarinez and made one move past Gonzaga goalkeeper Vito Higgins to score on the open goal. Butler put the Gaels ahead 2-0 when he scored at the 27:28 mark. Butler took a pass from Adam Zielski, then put the shot past Higgins into the upper left corner of the goal. Saint Mary's extended its led to 3-0 in the second half when Michael Johnson connected on his second goal of the season. After Alex Christlieb's shot deflected off Higgins, Johnson was there to put it away for SMC. The Gaels put the game out of reach when Matthew Fitzgerald scored an unassisted goal with just under 20 minutes to play. Fitzgerald added his second goal of the game, and team-high fifth goal of the season, at the 79:24 mark of the contest. The goal was set up when Saint Mary's goalkeeper Kellan Wilson preserved his ninth complete shutout of his career when he stopped a Steve Owens penalty kick. Wilson's ensuing punt was accepted by Robert Orum who then found Fitzgerald for the goal.
The Bulldogs had several scoring opportunities as Wilson was called on for eight saves. Higgins had seven saves in the Bulldogs net. The Gaels held a 19-10 shots advantage.
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