Exciting Weekend for GU Soccer

After a quiet week for the GU men and women's soccer teams, both will return to action in high profile tournaments this weekend. The men will be making their debut at the new Gonzaga Soccer Field, when they host the Gonzaga Nike Soccer Classic, while the women will be traveling to Colorado for the Colorado Soccer Classic. Both tournaments should provide the Zags with excellent competition, and a chance to face some high level opposition before WCC play.

- After spending the first month of the season on the road, the GU men's soccer team will finally get to play at their brand new stadium. The Bulldogs will be hosting the Gonzaga Nike Soccer Classic, which will see Oregon St., Cal State Bakersfield, and UMKC make the trip to Spokane. The team will be looking to build on their 1-1 performance at the UNLV Nike Invitational last weekend. It looked like the Zags were on their way to a tournament championship, but three unanswered goals from UC Riverside left the team stunned, as they fell 3-2 in the championship game. The loss in the finale dropped their record to 1-2-1 on the season.

The opening game of the tournament will see GU going up against UMKC. The Kangaroos have had a terrific start to the season, as they upset #2 ranked Creighton last weekend. This stunning win saw the Kangaroos received votes in the latest polls, and improved their record to 2-1-2. They are led offensively by the duo of Bryan Perez and Brian Harris, as both have scored three goals this season. This will be the 1st meeting between these two schools, and it will provide the men with a great test.

Opening kick will take place Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM, and it should be a great atmosphere for the home opener. The Zags will return to the field on Sunday at 2:00 PM, when they take on Cal State Bakersfield in the tournament finale.

- After a 4-game homestand, the women's team will be heading to Colorado, where they will compete in the Colorado Soccer Classic. The tournament should be an excellent taste for the ladies, as they will take on the Colorado Buffaloes and the Denver University Pioneers. Both teams were NCAA tournament participants last season, and the Buffaloes enter the tournament ranked #21 in the nation. The Bulldogs are coming off a disappointing loss to the University of Wyoming, and will be looking at this tournament as an excellent chance to make amends.

The first opponent for the team will be the #21 Colorado Buffaloes. The Buffs enter the game with a 5-1-1 record, and appear to be one of the elite teams in the country. They are led by Nikki Marshall, who has started this season in incredible form, and has been one of the top attackers in the country. Marshall leads her team with four goals and has recorded nine points already this season. It is imperative that the Bulldogs find someway to slow down Marshall if they are going to have a chance to win. The match will kickoff on Friday afternoon at 3:00 PM.

The ladies will take on Denver University in the finale on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. This tournament will see the ladies take on two of the better teams in the country, and should prepare the team for the rigors of WCC play. A win in either game would be a great success, and if they play at their highest level, it is certainly possible.