Lopes net five goals in win over UMKC

Friday, October 21

Phoenix, Ariz.

7:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-7-3, 2-2-3WAC

Missouri - Kansas City

2-8-2, 1-2-3WAC

UMKC

Grand Canyon

10/21/2016 9:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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By: Steven Gonzalez

PHOENIX – In its final Friday night match at GCU Stadium this season, the Grand Canyon men's soccer team put on a show for its fans, scoring five goals against Missouri-Kansas City. It was the most goals scored at GCU Stadium this season. GCU improved to 5-7-3 overall and 2-2-3 in the WAC.

"We have been playing so much the last four games and tonight that was on display," head coach Shellas Hyndman said. "It has taken us some time to gel but a lot of our players are playing better. It is allowing us to score more goals."

As 24 different players saw playing time for GCU, six players recorded a point led by Niki Jackson and Damian German with four points each.

In the 20th minute, Jackson came close to giving GCU the 1-0 lead when Austin Day served up a great ball from the back line where Jackson was able to chase it down from 30-yards out. Jackson was able to swim past a defender, pulling the goalkeeper out but his attempt would go wide, keeping the game scoreless.

In the 30th minute, UMKC caught the Lopes' back-line off a counter where Eric McWoods made a run on the right side of the field to score from 12 yards out, giving UMKC a 1-0 lead. Despite taking the lead, GCU was quick to respond in the 32nd minute, staying on the attack and forcing a penalty kick as UMKC's Chris Betancourt was sent off with a red card. Stepping up for a PK, Jackson buried the ball in the lower right-90 to tie the game at 1-1.

Six minutes later, the Lopes would take their first lead of the night off a goal from German. As GCU did an exceptional job of moving the ball around, Alexandros Halis led German into the box where German chipped the ball over the keeper to give GCU the 2-1 lead. For the season, Halis now has five assists.

GCU ended the first half with a 2-1 lead after outshooting the Roos 10-5 with four shots on goal.

The scoring continued for the Lopes in the second half, extending their lead five minutes into the second half. For his 13th goal of the season, Jackson received a cross from Charles Keating directly in front of goal for a shot in the lower left-90. Keating now has three points in the last two games.

"It felt like we were very comfortable on the ball tonight," Keating said. "Anything coming into the middle, we were able to turn and swing the ball to spread them out. Coach told us before the game to get the ball and look forward, and it definitely paid off."

German would tack on a second goal for the night in the 56th minute as senior Daniel Wall picked up his first point of the season. On the left corner of the box, Wall passed the ball to Halis who led German 25 yards out for a beautiful strike in the upper left-90. In the 65th minute, Halis scored off a pass from Wedner Delmonte inside the box for his second goal of the season and Delmonte's first point of the season.

The Lopes will close out the weekend at GCU Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 23, when they host Incarnate Word.