Lopes close out opening weekend with loss to Idaho

Sunday, August 21

Moscow, Idaho

1:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

0-2

Idaho

1-1

GCU

Idaho

8/21/2016 3:53:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Imani Suber

MOSCOW, Idaho- On a windy afternoon, the Grand Canyon women's soccer team closed out opening weekend with a 3-1 loss to Idaho Sunday afternoon. The Lopes are now 0-2-0 on the season. Junior Madison Cox produced GCU's first goal of the 2016 season.

How it Happened:
Throughout the first half, the Lopes played a balanced game, it wasn't until the latter minutes of the second half that Idaho's offensive attack become to overwhelming for GCU to manage.

Milla Benedetti set the tone early for the Lopes and was the first to get a shot off in the contest. Shortly after, Blakely Fraasch came up with a save, but the Vandals followed with a goal to go up 1-0 at the 21:46 minute mark. GCU responded seven minutes later when Cox scored the first goal of the season after capitalizing on a corner kick at the 28:44 minute mark. While the Vandals were on the move in the final minutes of the half. Fraasch picked up another save to stop Idaho from taking the lead.

It was a tale of two periods, as the Vandals came out with their offense on overdrive. In the second half, Idaho netted two goals to extend their lead by two. GCU struggled to produce an effective offense as the shot differential was 12-3. Although, Fraasch came up with six saves on the day, the Vandals offensive pressure was too much for GCU to overcome and they fell to Idaho in a 3-1 outcome.

Lopes Notes:
The Lopes are now 0-2-0 on the season.
The all-time series against Idaho is even at 2-2-0.
Madison Cox scored the first goal of the 2016 season.
Milla Benedetti led the team with two shots and one shot on goal.
Milla Benedetti, McKenzie Cook, Madison Cox, Kelsey Smith, Shannon Costello and Fiona Samodurov played all 90 minutes of today's match.

Lopes Quotes:
Head Coach Derek Leader
"We are still a work in progress. We're learning how to compete and we were very good in the first half. The conditions of the game made it difficult for us but we will get better from it."

Up Next:
GCU travels to Weber State next Friday, Aug. 26. Match time is set for 2:30 p.m. MST. Follow @GCU_WSOC for latest updates and news.