Grizzlies lose 2-1 to Gonzaga
9/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Sometimes a halftime pep talk can mean the difference between a win and a loss. For Gonzaga it meant figuring out a way to create offense from a stingy Montana defense.
"They had a really hard time against us the first half and they obviously went into the locker room and figured it out," Griz defender MacKenzie Murphy said. "We didn't break down as much as they just figured it out."
The University of Montana women's soccer team tipped off it's first game of the Montana Fall Classic with a 2-1 loss to Gonzaga Friday afternoon.
Montana's Lindsay Winans struck first in the 22nd minute when teammate Mahlleace Tomsin broke away from the Bulldogs' defense and unselfishly passed it over to streaking Winans who stopped, crossed the ball to her left side and fired a shot into the upper left corner of the goal. The Griz carried the lead and the momentum into the half.
But as Missoula's long overdue sunshine began to set and the shadows crept onto the South Campus Stadium field, Montana's lead began to diminish early in the second half.
Gonzaga came out of halftime with a whole new technique.
Gonzaga coach Shannon Stiles said they kept playing right into Montana's hands. Stiles said their game plan of playing balls over the heads of Montana defenders was unsuccessful because Griz goalkeeper Jamie Rizzuto played so far out of the goal that she was able to prevent scoring opportunities by kicking the ball out of the zone.
"We knew what to do, so at halftime I told my players that we need to be committed to play our style which is playing balls to feet and little combinations to get in behind (Montana's defense)," Stiles said.
Heather Horn of Gonzaga was the first to capitalize on the new game plan. Jamie Blanche found Horn about five steps ahead of Griz defender Kelly Fullerton. Horn had enough time to collect the ball and slip it under Rizzuto to knot it up at 1-1 in the 51st minute.
"We were just giving their forwards more space and the communication wasn't as loud as far as our defense goes, so we weren't able to talk through it," Murphy said.
In the 53rd minute, Murphy and Gonzaga's Walker Loseno showed the Griz football players in attendance that soccer can be just as physical as football. Murphy and Loseno both went full speed into the air for a ball that, in the end belonged to neither of them. Loseno's nose collided with Murphy's head and both players hit the ground.
"I'm all right now, but I think she broke her nose," Murphy said.
Gonzaga's game plan continued to work as Annie Hawkins slipped past the Griz defense. She fired a shot directly at Rizzuto, but it slipped through her hands, resulting in the deciding goal of the game, 2-1.
"I kind of got lucky on that one. I thought she had it, but it slipped past her," Annie Hawkins said. "We had to work really hard to come back and win the game like that."
"It was disappointing because (Rizutto) has done so well for us this year," Griz coach Neil Sedgwick said.
Montana's playing is getting better each day and each time they step foot on a field, Sedgwick said.
"At the end of the day, we played a good team and we're not satisfied," Sedgwick said. "We're not scoring the goals we want, but it's getting better."
Montana falls to 3-5-1 on the season while the Bulldogs move to 7-2. The Grizzlies return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. against the New Mexico Lobos. Hawaii and Gonzaga will play the early match on Sunday at noon.
"They had a really hard time against us the first half and they obviously went into the locker room and figured it out," Griz defender MacKenzie Murphy said. "We didn't break down as much as they just figured it out."
The University of Montana women's soccer team tipped off it's first game of the Montana Fall Classic with a 2-1 loss to Gonzaga Friday afternoon.
Montana's Lindsay Winans struck first in the 22nd minute when teammate Mahlleace Tomsin broke away from the Bulldogs' defense and unselfishly passed it over to streaking Winans who stopped, crossed the ball to her left side and fired a shot into the upper left corner of the goal. The Griz carried the lead and the momentum into the half.
But as Missoula's long overdue sunshine began to set and the shadows crept onto the South Campus Stadium field, Montana's lead began to diminish early in the second half.
Gonzaga came out of halftime with a whole new technique.
Gonzaga coach Shannon Stiles said they kept playing right into Montana's hands. Stiles said their game plan of playing balls over the heads of Montana defenders was unsuccessful because Griz goalkeeper Jamie Rizzuto played so far out of the goal that she was able to prevent scoring opportunities by kicking the ball out of the zone.
"We knew what to do, so at halftime I told my players that we need to be committed to play our style which is playing balls to feet and little combinations to get in behind (Montana's defense)," Stiles said.
Heather Horn of Gonzaga was the first to capitalize on the new game plan. Jamie Blanche found Horn about five steps ahead of Griz defender Kelly Fullerton. Horn had enough time to collect the ball and slip it under Rizzuto to knot it up at 1-1 in the 51st minute.
"We were just giving their forwards more space and the communication wasn't as loud as far as our defense goes, so we weren't able to talk through it," Murphy said.
In the 53rd minute, Murphy and Gonzaga's Walker Loseno showed the Griz football players in attendance that soccer can be just as physical as football. Murphy and Loseno both went full speed into the air for a ball that, in the end belonged to neither of them. Loseno's nose collided with Murphy's head and both players hit the ground.
"I'm all right now, but I think she broke her nose," Murphy said.
Gonzaga's game plan continued to work as Annie Hawkins slipped past the Griz defense. She fired a shot directly at Rizzuto, but it slipped through her hands, resulting in the deciding goal of the game, 2-1.
"I kind of got lucky on that one. I thought she had it, but it slipped past her," Annie Hawkins said. "We had to work really hard to come back and win the game like that."
"It was disappointing because (Rizutto) has done so well for us this year," Griz coach Neil Sedgwick said.
Montana's playing is getting better each day and each time they step foot on a field, Sedgwick said.
"At the end of the day, we played a good team and we're not satisfied," Sedgwick said. "We're not scoring the goals we want, but it's getting better."
Montana falls to 3-5-1 on the season while the Bulldogs move to 7-2. The Grizzlies return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. against the New Mexico Lobos. Hawaii and Gonzaga will play the early match on Sunday at noon.
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