No. 10 Men's Soccer Ends Northern California Trip With 4-1 Win

Saturday, September 22

San Francisco, CA

12:00 PM

Grand Canyon

Academy of Art

Brandon Hansen

Photo by: Darryl Webb

No. 10 Men's Soccer Ends Northern California Trip With 4-1 Win

9/22/2012 2:09:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Hansen collects two goals, one assist against Academy of Art

The No. 10 Grand Canyon University men’s soccer team defeated Academy of Art, 4-1, today in San Francisco, Calif. The Antelopes improved to 6-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in the Pacific West Conference, while the Urban Knights fell to 2-5-1 overall and 1-2-1 in conference play.

With the win, the ‘Lopes completed their four game Northern California swing with a 3-1 record.

GCU had a considerable advantage in shots (24-6) and placed nine shots on goal. Saeed Robinson and Brandon Hansen each had three shots on goal. The Urban Knights had just two shots on goal and were able to convert on their second attempt. GCU goalkeeper Joshua Zehring played at the net the entire game and collected one save.

“This was a nice win,” said head coach Petar Draksin. “We gave up a goal early as Academy of Art came at us very strong. But we made some adjustments. We put Brandon in and he was fantastic from the get-go. He really stepped it up and I know he is capable of doing that every game. He really got the team going because everybody else started playing better and better. We found spaces and got in between them. The result showed how much better we had gotten after they scored.”

The Urban Knights got on the board first with a goal from the left side of the box in the 14^th minute to take an early 1-0 lead. It marked just the third time this season that the ‘Lopes have not scored first and they are 2-1 in those games.

“Academy of Art is a much improved team from previous years,” said Draksin. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It seems like every time GCU comes into town, the teams get excited and play very well, like tourists going to see the Grand Canyon.”

GCU responded with a goal of their own in the 31^st minute to tie the score at one. Yared Solscheid was credited with an assist to Robinson, who found the back of the net near the left post from about 15 yards.

The ‘Lopes tacked on another score before the first 45 minutes had expired to take a 2-1 advantage at the halfway point. Alberto Sanchez Garcia collected his third goal of the season in the 36^th minute on an assist from Hansen, his second of the contest. Hansen made a quick pass off a rebound from an Urban Knights defender and Sanchez Garcia successfully converted the opportunity from 18 yards out.

Hansen extended GCU’s lead with a goal in the 60^th minute and just five minutes later, collected his second goal of the game to give the ‘Lopes a 4-1 lead. Both shots came via an assist from Sanchez Garcia.

“I am looking forward to coming home,” added Draksin. “We have five games at home and we have to get ready both physically and mentally for those. This is a big opportunity for us. We open with Azusa Pacific, who had a big win against Cal Baptist last night. They are an excellent program and we know what we are going against. But I can’t say enough about how excited we are to come home.”

GCU now returns home for a five game homestand beginning on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. against PacWest newcomer Azusa Pacific.

GCU 4, AAU 1