GCU Hands Utah Valley First Conference Loss

Friday, October 23

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-8-2

Utah Valley

11-5-1

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Darryl Webb

10/23/2015 10:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Lopes improve to 6-1-1 at home

By: Josh Hauser

PHOENIX – The GCU Women's Soccer team took an early 1-0 lead and cruised to a momentous victory over Utah Valley at GCU Soccer Field on Friday. The Wolverines were previously undefeated in Western Athletic Conference play.

The Lopes (7-8-2, 4-3-1 WAC) climbed over the .500 mark in conference with the win over the Wolverines (11-5-1, 6-1-1 WAC), as GCU improved to 6-1-1 at home.

"There's lots of magic happening here at GCU," head coach Stevie Gill said. "The fans are fantastic, it's just a fantastic place to play."

The Lopes took the lead in the 18th minute when Utah Valley committed a foul just outside of the box. McKenzie Cook took the free kick, centering the ball for Madison Cox who rose above the defense to head the ball into the left corner of the net.

The goal was Cox's third of the season and first since she also scored GCU's lone goal in a 1-0 win at Texas-Rio Grande Valley on October 2.

Utah Valley had two good opportunities to even the score in the first half, but a tremendous save by Lopes goalkeeper Blakely Fraasch in the 25th minute and a wide shot in the 38th minute preserved GCU's lead into the half.

Into the second period, the Lopes defense remained stout against a rapid offensive attack from Utah Valley. The Wolverines fired off 12 shots in the second period compared to just three for Grand Canyon. But the GCU defenders, led by Fraash in goal, recorded their third shutout of the season.

"I thought we played fantastic defensively," Gill said. "I think a lot of credit goes to the girls to keep themselves organized for the full 90 minutes, which was really nice to see."

Grand Canyon knocked the Wolverines from the ranks of the unbeaten in the WAC, leaving Seattle U (11-2-3, 6-0-2 WAC) as the lone unbeaten team in conference play.

"[Utah Valley] is an excellent team so it's always nice to beat the individuals that are at the top of the league," Gill said. "We're going to enjoy this, then focus our efforts on Seattle University on Sunday."

GCU will look to repeat its fortunes on Sunday, when they welcome in another undefeated team in conference play. Seattle U and the Lopes will square off in game one of another women's and men's doubleheader with the women's kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. at GCU Soccer Field.