Grand Canyon toughs out win over Dixie St.

M Soccer

10-1-08

It was the type of game that kept you on the edge of your seat.

"I live for games like this," Grand Canyon goalkeeper Franco Carotenuto said. "A knock-down, grind-out, kick-in-the mud old school brawl. I love the challenge."

Carotenuto and Grand Canyon stepped up to the challenge, surviving a 1-0 duel with Dixie State Wednesday night at GCU Soccer Complex. It was GCU's third straight win in conference play.

Carotenuto stopped a breakaway less than three minutes into the game on a shot by Dixie's Kevin Young.

"We tried to play the offsides trap, and Dixie countered it," said Carotenuto, who had six saves in his second shutout of the year. "We didn't necessarily play to the whistle, so I just had to come up and do what I'm expected to do."

That he did.

"That was the game-changer," Grand Canyon coach Petar Draksin said.

It lifted the Antelopes (3-3-2, 3-0-0 PacWest) and defender Bosko Jovicevic delivered in a big way three seconds before halftime when he banged in the gamewinning goal on a free kick following a Dixie foul. It was Jovicevic's second goal of the season, both coming on free kicks.

"That's what usually happens in soccer," said Draksin, who's coached at the collegiate level for 22 years. "Our goalkeeper makes a big save, and our team picks it up after that."

Jovicevic's goal came on Grand Canyon's fifth and final shot of the first half. It was the only shot on goal in the game for GCU. The Antelopes attempted only one shot in the second half.

"The goal came at a perfect time," Jovicevic said. "For me, it's not as important to score goals as it is for the team to keep winning."

Dixie State (1-4-1, 1-1-1) outshot Grand Canyon 4-2 in the first 20 minutes of the game, putting up a fight that Draksin said was atypical of Dixie's athletic program.

"They did start a little more enthusiastic," GCU midfielder Joel Ibarra (pictured) said. "After about 15-20 minutes of the game, we organized ourselves and took control of the game."

Draksin said he expected the type of battle Dixie put forth, but convincing his team that after winning 8-1 a game earlier is another story.

"Dixie has a tradition. All their programs are competitive," Draksin said. "I did warn the guys about that. Saying that, it's also difficult to convince the players that after they win 8-1. They think they're all going to come easy, but they're not.

"Our timing was off by passing the ball in spaces and running into spaces. That's why we weren't very dangerous in the offensive third. Nothing comes easy."

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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