California Baptist Defeats 'Lopes, 4-1

Saturday, October 29

Phoenix, AZ

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Five seniors -- Julia Anglin, Jessica Brillantes, Holly Benson, Stephanie Phillips and Kelli Woodard -- were honored at halftime in Senior Day ceremonies.

10/29/2011 10:12:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Lancers clinch at least co-championship of PacWest; aren't eligible for postseason

By: Joel Horn

The California Baptist University women's soccer team got goals from four different players, including one that was scored just 45 seconds into the match, as the Lancers defeated Grand Canyon University, 4-1, in a Pacific West Conference match tonight at the GCU Soccer Field in Phoenix.

The Antelopes, who beat Cal Baptist 3-1 on Wednesday in Riverside, Calif., handing the Lancers their first PacWest loss of the season and just their second loss overall, fell to 9-5-2 overall, 8-2-1 in the PacWest. The Lancers improved to 13-2-1, 9-1-1.

GCU, which was tied for first with Cal Baptist after Wednesday's match, now is in second place in the PacWest. BYU-Hawai'i (12-2-1, 7-2-1) is in third.

The 'Lopes and Lancers each have one regular-season match remaining, ironically against the same foe -- fifth-place Dixie State (7-7-2, 5-3-2). GCU will face the Red Storm on Thursday in St. George, Utah, while Cal Baptist will host them on Saturday in Riverside.

In order to win their first PacWest championship and the first conference championship in the program's 16-year history, the 'Lopes have to beat Dixie State, hope for Cal Baptist to lose to the Red Storm, and hope that BYU-Hawai'i loses at least one of its two remaining matches, both at home, against fourth-place Hawai'i Pacific (9-5-2, 6-3-2) and 10th-place Chaminade (1-15-0, 1-10-0).

If all three teams share the conference title, GCU or BYU-Hawai'i would get the PacWest's automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament because Cal Baptist, in its first year at the Division-II level after moving up from the NAIA, is not eligible for the postseason and won't be until its third year at the D-II level.

The 'Lopes and Seasiders played to a draw in their only meeting this season, so the automatic qualifier would go to the team that has allowed the fewest goals in conference play. Entering tonigt's match, GCU had allowed eight goals and BYU-Hawai'i had allowed nine.

Tonight's result certainly won't help the 'Lopes' cause.

Senior forward Jessica Brillantes (Anaheim, CA, Loara, Santiago Canyon College) scored GCU's only goal at

44:02. It was fitting, since she was one of five seniors who were honored at halftime for their contributions to the women's soccer program and the university in general.

GCU actually outshot Cal Baptist, 16-13, and both teams had nine shots on goal.

Cal Baptist 4, GCU 1

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