Lopes Drop High-Pace Match to No. 19 Seattle U

Sunday, October 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

2:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-8-0

Seattle U

14-3-0

SUMEN

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Darryl Webb

10/25/2015 5:39:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

GCU held scoreless despite season-high 21 shots

By: Josh Hauser

PHOENIX – In a game that featured 37 combined shots, Grand Canyon fell to No. 19 Seattle U 1-0 on Sunday at GCU Soccer Field.

The Lopes (6-8-0, 2-5-0 WAC) have dropped five straight since beginning the year 6-3 while the Redhawks (14-3-0, 7-1-0 WAC) continue to sit in first place in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Redhawks didn't wait long to get on the board, scoring at the 2:45 mark in the opening period. David Olsen tied Seattle's team lead for goals scored with his eighth of the year, sneaking the ball past the reach of GCU keeper Kendyl Day to put the Lopes in an early hole.

Following the 1-0 deficit, Grand Canyon had a wealth of scoring opportunities in the final 87 minutes, firing off a season-high 21 shots with seven coming on goal.

"They scored a good goal two minutes into the game and I just thought we fought so hard after that," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We had 12 shots to their four in the second, just shows you how much the game was going in our direction. We had some brilliantly headed balls that just missed and the goalie came up with a couple of brilliant saves."

Perhaps no better scoring opportunity presented itself for Grand Canyon then when, in the 78th minute, Niki Jackson found a hole in the defense but headed the ball just wide of the goal.

GCU utilized a season-high tying eight corner kick opportunities in the game to force Seattle U goalkeeper Shane Haworth to make seven saves, but the Lopes were never fully able to capitalize.

"They weren't a team that tried to kick us and physically tried to hurt us. They weren't a team that sat back on us," Hyndman said. "They're an extremely well-coached team and they were one of the better teams we've seen this year."

With three games remaining, the Lopes have their sights set on snapping their current skid and ending with a winning mark on the season. Grand Canyon's first opportunity will come on Friday, Oct. 30 when the Lopes travel to Air Force (5-8-1, 2-4-1 WAC). GCU's final road contest will come on Sunday, Nov. 1 at Missouri-Kansas City before they return home for a Saturday, Nov. 7 finale vs. UNLV.