GCU Wins First WAC Road Match Over UMKC

Sunday, November 1

Kansas City, Mo.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-9, 3-6WAC

Missouri-Kansas City

5-9-2, 3-5-1WAC

Grand Canyon

UMKC

11/1/2015 2:04:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Steven Gonzalez

Box Score (PDF)

KANSAS CITY– In the final road match of the season, the Grand Canyon men's soccer team faced Missouri-Kansas City looking to snap its six match losing streak. The Antelopes scored three goals against the Kangaroos and for the first time this season, the Lopes picked up a win on the road in conference play. GCU is now 7-9 this season and 3-6 in the Western Athletic Conference.

"We got into a run of bad games so I'm happy for the way our guys played today," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We are trying to develop a mindset that we are a good team and we have to play that way for 90 minutes."

For the first time in seven matches, the Lopes went into halftime with a lead after Niki Jackson scored just over a minute into the match. Christian Ramirez was able to assist on the goal to give Jackson his seventh goal of the season. The Lopes were able to frustrate UMKC offensively as they allowed three shots in the first half.

"We had a better first half than a second despite the goals," Hyndman said. "It's a process for us but every game we play I think that we are learning more and more on what it takes to become a great team."

After both teams got a feel for the match in the first 45 minutes of play, the offense picked up on both sides as the match began to open up. In the middle of the second half, UMKC would tie the match in the 63^rd minute off a goal from Diego Serfaty from 20-yards out. Looking to retake the lead, once again Jackson would step up for GCU, scoring his fourth goal this weekend in the 75^th minute, as GCU reclaimed the 2-1 lead.

The Lopes looked like they were going to walk away with the 2-1 victory but with 5 minutes and 44 seconds left, Pandelis Popgeorgiev would tie match off a header. UMKC looked like they were content on heading into overtime but Hyndman and his squad had other plans. With one minute and 37 seconds left, the senior Alberto Sanchez Garcia would find his way towards the left side of the box, and was able to fire off a shot that would near post off the goalkeeper, giving GCU the thrilling 3-2 victory.

The Lopes pick up their first win since, Oct. 4, at home against Houston Baptist and will now close out the season next weekend, Nov. 7, against UNLV.