CHICAGO – Gonzaga University head men’s soccer coach Einar Thorarinsson was worried about a letdown heading into Sunday’s match against the University of Wisconsin following Friday’s disappointing 1-0 loss to host University of Illinois-Chicago in the UIC Soccer Classic.

            But the 19^th-ranked Bulldogs (4-2-0), meeting a ranked opponent for the third time in six outings, defeated the 21^st-ranked Badgers (5-1-1) 2-0 to finish second in the UIC Soccer Classic. Gonzaga lost to 21st-ranked University of Washington 1-0 in the season and home opener and defeated 15th-ranked UC Santa Barbara 2-0 on the road in other matches involving ranked opponents this season.

            The host Flames downed IPFW 4-0 Sunday to finish 2-0. Gonzaga and Wisconsin both went 1-1, but Gonzaga gets second by virtue of its win over the Badgers, who defeated IPFW 5-1 Friday.

            “It was so disappointing on Friday because we were all over them, but the guys bounced back. I was concerned they would have a little letdown because they played so well Friday and lost,” Thorarinsson explained.

            Add to the fact Nikolai Littleton, who does a majority of the corner kicks and is a mainstay in the midfield, received a late red card Friday and was forced to sit out Sunday. But Parker Victor made his first appearance of the season and his first collegiate start and filled in admirably.

            “Parker did a good job. He stepped in and played well,” Thorarinsson said.

            The Bulldogs got the only goal they would need mid-way through the first half when Lars Ludwigs scored on a penalty kick for his second goal of the season, both of them match winners.

            The penalty kick was set up when Zach Hamer received the ball inside the 18, made a spin move and was taken down by a UW defender at 20:32.

            Conner Bevans gave the Bulldogs an insurance goal at 67:42 when he took a ball from Andrew Owenson, played the ball thru the defender, got to the ball and beat UW keeper Casey Beyers.

            “They were pressing and we caught them on a counter,” Thorarinsson said. “Their (Wisconsin) heads dropped a little bit after that goal. It was a good goal by Conner.”

            Thorarinsson said the game could have changed in the 18^th minute when Gonzaga keeper Ryan Caballero, who lowered his goals-against-average to 0.32 with his fourth shutout of the season, came up with a big save on Tomislav Zadro.

            “Ryan came up big,” Thorarinsson said. “It was a 1-on-1 and I think the game would have changed had we gone behind there. It was a huge save and he had another stellar performance.”

            Caballero, who also recorded his ninth career shutout, had three saves while Beyers had four in the UW net. Caballero’s fourth shutout this season moves him into a tie for fifth on the GU single-season charts. His nine career shutouts rank fourth.

            Thorarinsson once again praised the defense.

            “Josh (Phillips) and Lars had a great match, and Greg (Carter) was solid. He’s our main guy back there. He marked Wisconsin’s best guy (Nick Janus with three goals through the first six matches) and outplayed him and shut him down, not allowing a shot,” Thorarinsson said.

            Thorarinsson’s accolades were backed up as Phillips, Ludwigs and Carter were named to the all-tournament team. They were joined by Andrew Putna, Bob Novak, Jesus Torres and Thomas Villamil of
UIC, Nick Janus and A.J. Cochran of Wisconsin, and Alex Kemp and Drake Bowers of IPFW.

            Offensively, Thorarinsson singled out Clark Phillips and Nick Hamer.

            “Clark played very well. Nick runs the whole field and nobody can stay with him. Clark is pulling defenders away from the other guys, holding the ball up, passing and is just so active. It’s hard to mark him. Wisconsin had their best defender marking him today,” Thorarinsson said.

            Phillips, who led the team in scoring last season with 5 goals and 2 assists, has just a single goal this season, but still demands the attention and respect of the opponent, Thorarinsson said, which frees other players.

            Thorarinsson said both UIC and Wisconsin are good teams and was pleased with his team’s play for the weekend.

            “UIC is a good team. Friday was our best match. I’ve never seen a Bulldog team that good. Everybody was concentrating, going at it. Wisconsin is good in a different way. They are physical and strong. I was concerned coming in but we matched them up.”

            Thorarinsson is impressed with his team’s aggressiveness.

            “We are more aggressive than we’ve been the last two or three years,” he noted.

            The Bulldogs have just one match this week when cross-state Jesuit foe Seattle University visits Gonzaga Soccer Field at 3 p.m.