Men’s Soccer Wins OT Thriller Over Sacramento State

Sunday, September 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-1-0

Sacramento State

1-4-1

OT 2

Sacramento State

Grand Canyon

9/13/2015 9:44:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: GCU Men’s Soccer Wins OT Thriller Over Sacramento State

Related: Box Score (PDF)

PHOENIX – To close out the inaugural GCU Soccer Classic, the Grand Canyon men's soccer team faced Sacramento State for its first Sunday match of the season. As lightning surrounded GCU Soccer Field the Antelopes ended the match with a bang as Alex Halis scored his first goal at Grand Canyon to give GCU the 2-1 win in overtime taking home first place in the GCU Soccer Classic. Grand Canyon has now won three matches in row for the first time since 2012 and the first time since being in Division I.

"I told the team at halftime that it was going to take character to win this game and we showed that tonight," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We raised our urgency in the second half so it feels good to win two-in-a-row at home."

The match went into overtime and with 32 seconds left in the first overtime GCU was awarded a free kick 10 yards from midfield where Tafadzwa Semwayo placed a ball atop of the box. Back pedaling was Halis and the transfer from Syracuse was able to flick the ball off the Hornets goalkeeper's arm dribbling into the back of the net for GCU's third straight win.

"I saw the ball coming my way so my first instinct was to try and tip it and next thing I looked up and it was in the back of the net," Halis said with a huge smile on his face. "It feels good because we are coming together as a team and it always feels good to get two wins in front of our fans."

Twenty seconds into the match, Sacramento State scored off a free kick from Bert Corona from 25-yards out, giving the Hornets the early 1-0 lead. Alberto Sanchez Garcia came inches away from tying the match in the 9^th minute as he attempted to go far post from the right side of the box. Garcia's attempt passed the Hornets' goalkeeper but the attempt went a few inches wide of going in the back of the net.

After the Sacramento State goal Grand Canyon started to find a rhythm offensively and in the 25^th minute Alejandro Radilla served a great ball into the box where Damian German was at the far post and nearly tied the game but his attempt went wide of the goal. The Lopes went into halftime down 1-0 after outshooting Sacramento State 9-5 with three shots on target.

Sacramento State came out on the offensive attack at the beginning of the second half and had a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 in the 55^th minute with a shot inside the box from Ivan Ramirez but Kendyl Day came up with a diving save to keep GCU in the game.

When the Lopes needed someone to step up and save the game, the senior Garcia stepped up forcing a penalty kick. Garcia's PK attempt would be blocked by the Hornets' goalkeeper Philip Bru but Garcia was able to step up and score off the rebound to tie the game in the 68^th minute. Garcia had two shots on goal seven minutes after his goal that almost gave GCU the lead but Bru was able to come up with some key saves to keep the score tied.

Day came up with another clutch save in the 80^th minute with another diving stop off Cylus Sandoval's shot, keeping the score at 1-1.

Grand Canyon will be back in action next Friday, Sept. 18, as they head back on the road for a matchup against Central Florida.