Women's Soccer Beats Dominican, 3-0

Monday, October 10

Phoenix, AZ

5:45 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Dominican

Danielle De La Vina (left) and Marina Nesic

10/10/2011 8:51:00 AM | Women's Soccer

By: Joel Horn

Junior midfielder Marina Nesic (Koceljeva, Serbia, Nada Dimic Zemun), the 2010 Pacific West Conference Player of the Year, had a goal and an assist to lead Grand Canyon University to a 3-0 win over Dominican University of California in a PacWest women's soccer match tonight at the GCU Soccer Field in Phoenix.

The Antelopes improved to 5-4-2 overall, 4-1-1 in the PacWest. The Penguins fell to 3-8-0, 1-5-0.

Sophomore midfielder Cierra Valdez (Phoenix, AZ , Westview) got it going for GCU with an unassisted goal in the 30th minute, her first goal and points of the season. She dribbled the ball to the 18-yard box and blasted it to the far post. It was the second game-winning goal of her college career.

Senior defender Holly Benson (Tempe, AZ, Corona del Sol) made the score 2-0 in the 37th minute with a shot from the left side, outside of the box, that bounced into the net. Nesic got the assist, her third of the year. It was Benson's second goal of the season. She also has an assist for a total of five points.

Nesic capped the scoring with an unassisted goal from 30 yards out in the 44th minute. It was her eighth goal of the season, which ties her for the conference lead with Kylee Nicassio of California Baptist and KaUa Wall of Hawai'i Pacific. Her 19 points are tied for the league lead with Kimberly Allard of California Baptist.

Sophomore goalkeeper Cat Lena (Tucson, AZ, Salpointe Catholic) started and played the first half. She made one save and picked up her fourth win of the season. Senior Stephanie Phillips (Tempe, AZ, Corona Del Sol, Washington State University), the 2010 PacWest Newcomer of the Year, took over in the second half. It was the fourth shutout of the season for the 'Lopes.

GCU had a whopping 16-2 advantage in shots in the match, as well as an 8-1 edge in shots on goal.

Dominican had four corner kicks; GCU had three.

Twenty-six fouls were called, 13 on each team. Five yellow cards were shown, three of them to the Penguins.

Entering tonight's match, the 'Lopes and Penguins had similar defensive statistics. GCU was tied for fourth in the PacWest in shutouts (3), fifth in goals allowed (17) and goals-against average (1.63), and tied for fifth in saves (49). Dominican was fourth in saves (50< sixth in goals allowed (18) and goals-against average (1.80), and tied for eighth in shutouts (0).

Offensively, the teams were very different. The 'Lopes were second in shots (169), tied for second in goals (21), third in points (49) and goals per game (2.10), and eighth in assists (7) and assists per game (0.70). The Penguins were tied for fifth in assists (10), tied for sixth in assists per game (1.00), ninth in shots (74) and points (28), and 10th in goals (9) and goals per game (0.90).

Nesic led the conference in shots (61) and shots per game (6.78), second in goals per game 0.78), third in points per game (1.78), tied for third in points (16), and goals (7), tied for eighth in assists (2), and tied for ninth in assists per game (0.22).

Phillips was fourth in the league in shutouts per game (0.25), tied for fourth in shutouts (2), sixth in goals-against average (2.13), seventh in save percentage (.650) and saves per game (3.25), and eighth in saves (26).

GCU's next match is on Saturday, when it takes on Notre Dame de Namur (3-6-2, 2-1-1) at 5 p.m. at the GCU Soccer Field.

GCU 3, Dominican 0

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