MORAGA, Calif. - A tough 1-0 loss at home for the Gaels against Santa Clara drops them a game behind the Broncos in the WCC standings at 9-5-1 overall and 2-1-1 in conference play.
 
The game started much like a heavyweight fight that had a feeling-out period early in the bout in this battle for first place. But the Gaels delivered the first potential blow in the 12^th minute as David Brog caught the Broncos keeper too far out of the box and struck a long-distance shot. It drew a leaping attempt from the Santa Clara starting goal keeper Andreu Cases Mundet who landed hard on his left side.
 
The game would be momentarily stopped while the trainers checked on the Broncos goalie. He would attempt to remain in the game, making one more stop on Brog after a pretty feed from Cade Cowan, but the Broncos made a change in goal after the next stoppage.
 
Saint Mary's would get one more golden opportunity in the first half in the 39^th minute. Cowan drew a foul just inches outside the right corner of the penalty box and it set up a set piece for the Gaels. The Saint Mary's players and coaches felt it should have been a penalty kick and the bench was issued a yellow card. Louis Sterobo fired a powerful right-footed shot that the back-up keeper just got a hand on before it caromed off the left goal post.  
 
The Gaels out shot the Broncos 4-3 in the first half and 2-1 in the second half, but Santa Clara would make that shot count. In the 54^th minute the Gaels couldn't clear the ball after a throw in and Javier Ruiz Duran made a play on the ball and fed Joshua Dabora a few yards into the penalty area. Dabora flipped the ball up with his left foot perfectly to get it over the Gaels keeper Nicholas Lapinid.
 
For the rest of the half the Broncos clogged the passing lanes and kept the Gaels from generating much offense until the final five minutes of the match.
 
Six cards were issued in the match with four yellows handed out to the Broncos and one yellow to the Gaels bench and one red card to Brog after time had expired.

UP NEXT
The Gaels will take to the road to play Loyola Marymount on Saturday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m.

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