Sept. 7, 2005

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - For the third time this season, the Western Washington University men's soccer team came up short against a nationally ranked opponent, falling 2-0 to National Soccer Coaches Association of America/NCAA Division II No.18-rated UC San Diego on Wednesday at Civic Stadium.

Western's 0-6 start is the school's longest losing streak since the 1993 and 1994 seasons when the Vikings dropped 14 in a row. UCSD improved to 3-0-0.

The visiting Tritons, who held a 19-4 advantage in shots, opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Matthew Davey scored on a free kick from just outside the top left side of the 18-yard box. Davey, a first-team NSCAA All-American in 2004, curved a shot over a wall of defenders that ricocheted off of the right inside post and bounced into the lower left corner of the net. It was Davey's third goal of the season and the 24th of his career.

Western nearly evened the score in the 40th minute when Mirza Memic (Fr., Bellevue/Newport) took a free kick from 25 yards out that hit squarely off the crossbar.

UCSD doubled its lead just a minute later when Dustin Tannenhaus beat the Viking defense up the left side of the field and slotted a shot in with the outside of his right foot to put the Tritons ahead 2-0 at halftime.

"That's the best team we've played and maybe the best team I've seen in the region," said Western coach Travis Connell. "They are very well coached and well organized. When you give them an early goal it makes your job next to impossible because they're so well organized defensively."

Western's best scoring chance in the second half came in the final seconds of the game when defender Kenny Mueller (Jr., Snohomish/Bothell) had a shot in the goalmouth blocked.

UCSD out-shot Western 11-2 in the first half and held a 5-0 advantage in shots on goal. The Tritons held an 8-0 edge in shots on goal for the game. UCSD threatened several times in the opening moments. The best of those chances came in the third minute when Grant Nishio's blast from the top of the box hit the crossbar and bounced out of play.

Davey narrowly missed adding to the Triton lead in the 79th minute when he took a pass from Pat Kelly, slipped behind the defense and chipped a shot just over the crossbar from 10 yards out.

Western hosts Chico State on Saturday (7 p.m.) at the Whatcom CC Soccer Field.

UC San Diego vs. Western WashingtonDate: 9/7/05  Attendance: 162Goals by Period     1   2     TotalUC San Diego        2   0 ---   2Western Washington  0   0 ---   0SCORING SUMMARY:UCSD - Davey, unassisted, 14:13UCSD - Tannehaus, unassisted, 41:06Shots: UC San Diego 19, Western Washington 4Corner kicks: UC San Diego 1, Western Washington 3Saves: UC San Diego 0 (Ruhland 0, Salazar 0), Western Washington 6 (Dragavon 6)