MSOC | Gaels Equalize Twice, But Zags Win 3-2 in Spokane

Saturday, October 21

Spokane, WA

6:00 p.m.

Saint Mary's College of California

5-6-2, 0-3-0

Gonzaga

3-5-6, 1-1-1

Saint Mary's (CA)

Gonzaga

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

MSOC | Gaels Equalize Twice, But Zags Win 3-2 in Spokane

10/21/2023 8:11:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Saint Mary's Men's Soccer came back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits on Saturday night, but Gonzaga would score the last goal leading to a 3-2 loss for SMC.

In the 13th minute, the Gaels thought Riley Lynch had drawn a penalty right at the top of the 18-yard box, for at worst a free kick on the edge of the penalty area or at best a penalty kick. Freshman Justin Sosa fed a perfect through ball to Lynch, who appeared to be tripped up as he split two defenders.

Saint Mary's didn't get the call and many players argued it, but Gonzaga would counter. Their keeper boomed a kick deep downfield to forward Chris Swider, who battled with Louis Sterobo for the ball. Swider would come away with it after Sterobo fell to the ground, and put a right-footed shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 Zags lead.

The Gaels would keep attacking however, and would break through in the 28th minute. Lynch led the Gaels up field and Sosa again would feed one of his forwards after gathering a loose ball off a deflection. He swung a pass out wide for Wade Muttitt who played the ball towards the goal from the top-right corner of the penalty area.

A Bulldogs defender would slide down to one knee to keep it away from Jack Vestberg who was charging toward the net, but the defender ended up deflecting into the goal to make it a 1-1 game. It would go down as Muttitt's fourth goal of the season, good for second on the team.

In the 58th minute the Zags would go back out in front off a set piece. A free kick from the left side of the Gaels goal curled into the near-side of the net past the diving Sebastian Ramirez to make it 2-1 Gonzaga.

Saint Mary's would answer though just minutes later. Once again it would be Sosa setting up one of his teammates streaking through the Gonzaga defense. This time Sosa executed a give-and-go with Lynch, after reversing his field before putting a through ball to Lynch, who started SMC's push up field again. Lynch broke through into the box and faked out the keeper before getting into the six-yard box and putting a right footed shot into the back of the net for a 2-2 game in the 61st minute. The goal with Lynch's team-leading sixth of the season.

However, Gonzaga would go back ahead just as quickly as Saint Mary's tied it. A pass into a soft spot of the Gaels defense allowed the Bulldogs' Swider to operate with some space, before setting up Nicolas Bianchi who scored on a left-footed shot from the top of the box into the lower left corner of the net to make it 3-2 Zags.

The Gaels threatened in the 87th minute, with Lynch getting into the box again, one-on-one with the keeper, but this time the Gonzaga goalie was able to cut down the angle and force Lynch out of bounds.