A Double Dose Of Trouble Goalie Fouts, Forward Mcallister Steer Gonzaga Toward Soccer Playoffs
Stick a West Coast Conference stat sheet in front of Josh Fouts’ face, he shields his eyes.
Blurt out Jeff McAllister’s conference-leading point total, he covers his ears.
Fouts and McAllister, two major reasons why the Gonzaga University soccer team has a legitimate shot at the playoffs this November, want no part of any self-promotion.
“I never look at things like that. I guess I’m superstitious,” said goalkeeper Fouts, a sophomore transfer from Quincy (Ill.) University, who leads the WCC in goals-against average, allowing .75 goals in 12 games.
McAllister, a junior forward who suffered through the Bulldogs’ past two seasons when they won a combined five games, leads the WCC with 11 goals and 25 points.
“I knew I was there, but it’s not a big thing,” McAllister said nonchalantly. “It will be a big thing when the season’s over. We’ll see about that.”
The season, far from over, already can be considered the university’s best since joining the WCC in 1993.
The Bulldogs are 1-1 in conference games, which includes a 3-0 win over Santa Clara (ranked 21st at the time). If they win their final four conference games, they will be crowned conference champs and will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
“One loss and we’re done,” said Gonzaga second-year coach Einar Thorarinsson, whose team strung together a six-game non-conference winning streak earlier this season.
The stretch run begins Friday at home against No. 22 San Francisco (3-0, 8-5-1), considered the toughest of the last four opponents. Game time is 2:30 p.m. Gonzaga plays host to St. Mary’s (1-2, 6-7-1) Sunday, then finishes at San Diego (1-2-1, 8-3-3) Nov. 8 and at Loyola Marymount (0-4, 5-7-2) Nov. 10.
Fouts and McAllister, both on partial scholarships, naturally will be called on to keep their numbers at the top of the list during the final regular-season weeks - even if they won’t be checking the conference’s paperwork.
“We don’t look at stats,” Thorarinsson said. “We look to improve day to day. I tell them to enjoy the moment.”
McAllister is enjoying more than the moment. He’s also enjoying GU’s supporting cast of forwards, which includes seniors Shaun Flanigan and Simeon Enemuo, junior Ben Cater and freshman Brian Ching.
“The only reason why I’ve been improving, scoring-wise, is because of the team,” said McAllister, 20, who played high school soccer at Central Catholic High School in Portland.
Said Flanigan: “We’ve finally been getting him the ball and he’s been taking advantage of the opportunities. And now he’s Mr. Showtime.”
Fouts, who celebrated his 19th birthday Monday, arrived at GU this fall after playing one season in Illinois.
The native Hawaiian said he originally left Kailua, Hawaii, for the mainland because he “got tired of the palm trees and the sand. The 75-degree temperatures kinda got boring. I got tired of paradise.”
He also got tired of the Midwest, put some feelers out to western schools and landed in Spokane.
In 12 games this year, Fouts has five shutouts. In five games he allowed a combined five goals.
He missed one game because of an injured knee and another 1-1/2 games after he was thrown out because he came out of the penalty box.
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