GCU Shuts Out Chaminade, Still in Hunt for Postseason Berth

Wednesday, November 3

GCU

8:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Chaminade University

Rebecca Laporte

GCU Shuts Out Chaminade, Still in Hunt for Postseason Berth

11/3/2010 11:30:37 PM | Women's Soccer

By: Joel Horn

Junior forward Michelle Carels (Anaheim, CA/El Dorado, Santiago Canyon College) had a hat trick to lead the Grand Canyon University women’s soccer team, ranked No. 9 in the West Region in the official NCAA Division II poll and No. 8 in the region in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America vote, to a 3-0 win over Chaminade University in a Pacific West Conference game tonight at the GCU Soccer Field.

The Antelopes improved to 10-5-1 overall, 8-4-1 in the PacWest. The Silverswords fell to 2-13-0, 2-11-0.

Carels scored her first goal just 35 seconds into the game. Sophomore midfielder Sasha Scott (West Hills, CA/El Camino Real) kicked a long ball down the right wing, and Carels caught up to it and kicked it past Chaminade goalkeeper Marissa Minor.

Carels scored again in the 21^st minute when senior defender/midfielder Janelle Salazar Fontana, CA/Etiwanda) passed the ball to Carels on the right post. Carels chest-trapped it and booted it in.

In the 31^st minute, Carels scored again after freshman defender/midfielder Jessica Scarpati (Las Vegas, NV/Shadow Ridge) had a great long ball from right to left and Carels ripped it from the top of the box.

Carels now has nine goals, tied with BYU-Hawaii's Natasha Aiono for the second most in the PacWest.

GCU had a 9-1 edge in shots in the game, as well as a 2-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Eighteen fouls were called, 13 of them on the ‘Lopes. Two yellow cards were issued, the first to GCU Head Coach Stevie Gill and the second to ‘Lopes sophomore defender Milica Mihajlovic (Novi Sad, Serbia/Chemistry School, University of Texas at Brownsville).

Junior Stephanie Phillips (Tempe, AZ/Corona del Sol, Washington State University) and freshman Cat Lena (Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic) each played 45 minutes in goal for GCU and shared the shutout.

GCU moved ahead of Hawai’i Pacific into second place in the conference. The ‘Lopes have 25 points, one more than the Sea Warriors, who have one regular-season game remaining, a home contest against Hawai’i Hilo on Saturday.

GCU has a rematch with Chaminade at 8 p.m. on Friday, so if the ‘Lopes win that contest they will finish in second place with 28 points. The most HPU can have is 27.

Through games of Nov. 2, GCU is ranked second in the PacWest in shots (245), goals (34), goals per game (2.27) and goals allowed (14, tied with Dixie State). It also tops the league in fouls (178), offsides (51) and yellow cards (19).

Individually, sophomore midfielder Marina Nesic (Koceljeva, Serbia/Nada Dimic Zemun), who hasn’t played since suffering a torn meniscus in the ‘Lopes 2-2 double-overtime draw with BYU-Hawaii on Sept. 30, still leads the conference in points (23) and goals (10). She also is tied for second in game-winning goals (3) and tied for fourth in assists (4).

Carels is tied for sixth in goals (6), seventh in points (13) and tied for eighth in shots (36).

Junior defender/forward Julia Anglin (Goodyear, AZ/Desert Edge, Scottsdale CC) is 10^th in points per game (0.69).

Phillips is second in goals-against average (0.89) and third in save percentage (.815).

Nationally, GCU ranks 37^th out of 230 ranked teams in scoring offense (2.27 goals per game), 51^st in goals-against average (0.897), 66^th in won-lost-tied percentage (.633) and 72^nd in save percentage (.803).

Individually, out of 150 ranked players, Phillips is 55^th in goals-against average and 66^th in save percentage.

Nesic is 73^rd in total points.

Box score

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