SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco women's soccer team scored three times, twice in the second half to hand visiting Gonzaga their first loss in conference play this season.  USF's defense was tremendous as the Dons shutout the Bulldogs 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Negoesco Stadium.
 
USF's (2-2-2, 1-2-1 WCC) back row headlined by keeper Molly Eby (2-2-2) was fantastic as the Dons overcame a slow start offensively to soundly defeat Gonzaga (5-2-0, 3-1-0). The Dons outshot the Bulldogs 16-12, including an 8-5 shots on goal advantage, but in the first half the momentum belonged to the Bulldogs who had chances early in the first half to put a point on the board.  
 
USF scored first in the 14^th minute when Marissa Vasquez wound up with a loose ball on the Bulldogs half.  She sprinted toward goal and the only thing keeping her from scoring her first collegiate goal was the save by Bulldogs' keeper Lyza Bosselmann (5-2-0) who knocked away. Fortunately for the Dons, a Gonzaga defender miss-played the ball trying to clear it from a potential rebound and sent it in for the own goal.
 
The score remained 1-0 throughout the remainder of the first half. Gonzaga had not one, but two, excellent chances at the equalizer midway through the period when Bulldog forward Erin Healy's header was stopped at the last second by Eby.  The ball still in danger, was corralled by Gonzaga's forward Maggie Conners who blasted a shot to the lower right corner of the goal where Eby once again made a miraculous save thwarting the Bulldogs' best chance.
 
The half ended with the Dons out front 1-0 even though Gonzaga owned a 9-5 advantage in shots.
 
In the second half, USF's defense was on a mission to make the one goal advantage stand. The Dons backline put a stop to the Gonzaga attack. The Bulldogs finished the day with 12 shots, five on goal – in the second half that was limited to three shots and two on goal. Meanwhile, USF pressed their advantage. The Dons finished the second half with an 11-3 shot advantage.
 
Late in the contest Marie Marlow was briefly sent to the sideline but was allowed to return to action when play resumed.  The Bulldogs lost track of Marlow who ended up with the ball in front of the Dons bench after the Bulldogs turned it over and allowed Marlow to race down field where she sent a shot past Bosselmann for the insurance goal.  The goal by Marlow as her first of the year.
 
Ten minutes later Sydney Cooper scored her second goal of the season, and sixth of her career, when she took a beautiful pass from Jamesen Ward and beat the Bulldogs defense to the ball and chipped a shot over Bosselmann for the Dons' third goal of the contest.
 
Eby recorded two more saves late, however they, were not real threats.  She finished the day with five saves and her third shutout of the season. 
 
USF will return to action on Friday, March 19 at 1:00 p.m. when the Dons travel to San Diego to take on the Toreros.  Friday's game will feature live stats and be streamed on the WCC Network.