GCU hosts Incarnate Word, travels to UTRGV

Friday, October 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

4:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Incarnate Word

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Photo by: Michael Rincon

10/11/2017 12:45:00 PM | Men's Soccer

GCU Match Notes 2017 Media Guide

Lopes set to play split weekend with one home game, one road game

By: Josh Hauser


Grand Canyon Lopes (5-6, 2-1 WAC)	vs.	Incarnate Word Cardinals (3-7-1, 1-3 WAC)	UTRGV Vaqueros (4-4-2, 1-2-1 WAC)
		Fri, Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. MST	Sun, Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. MST
GCU Match Notes Media Guide		~~Game Notes~~ Live Stats Live Video	~~Game Notes~~ Live Stats Live Video

Coming off of a 1-1 weekend on the road in California, the Grand Canyon men's soccer team will split the upcoming weekend with one home game and one road game. The Lopes host Incarnate Word at GCU Stadium on Friday afternoon before visiting UT Rio Grande Valley for a Sunday morning match.

MATCH NOTES

The game atmosphere and fan support at GCU Stadium has treated the Lopes well in 2017, as Grand Canyon is 4-1 at GCU Stadium.

The Lopes are coming off of their third shutout victory of the season, already tying a GCU Division I record for shutout wins in a season. Jeremy Pollard currently ranks 36th nationally in saves per game (4.44).

Niki Jackson has scored in three consecutive matches, running his goal total to six on the year. The senior ranks top 50 in the country in goals per game (0.60). As a team, the Lopes aren't afraid to take shots. GCU currently ranks 10th nationally at 15.64 shots per match. Incarnate Word and UTRGV rank 6th and 8th in the conference, respectively.

GCU's most recent win was also another overtime match, the Lopes' sixth of the season. GCU has gone 3-3 in matches that have required extra time. The six overtime games already ties 2014 for the most in a Division I season at GCU. The Lopes haven't played in more than six overtime games in a season since 2007, where they played in eight.

The freshman class continues to put its stamp on the 2017 season. Marco Afonso scored his first collegiate goal on Oct. 1 and added two assists in last Friday's match at CSU Bakersfield. In the CSUB match, Malik Smith notched his first goal. Musa Morris Demos is up to three goals on the year. Josh Drack has also both scored and assisted this season. Freshmen have combined to tally 21 points in 2017.

LAST WEEK

On Friday, the Lopes fired off 23 shots with 12 coming on goal, but CSU Bakersfield pulled off a come-from-behind victory to defeat the Lopes 3-2 in overtime. The Roadrunners scored in the 79th minute to force overtime and had a few more good looks as regulation ran out. CSUB controlled the possession in the overtime period and broke through in the 94th minute.

GCU traveled to San José State for a Sunday match and, behind the late-game heroics of Niki Jackson, won in two overtimes. Jackson scored in the 107th minute, just three minutes shy of the match ending in a draw.

THE OPPONENTS

Incarnate word is coming off of a 2-0 loss to No. 18 Seattle U. The Cardinals, who finished 9th in the conference last year, are in search of their first winning season since moving to the Division I ranks. Nine players have each scored one goal for Incarnate Word. Last year, the Lopes defeated the Cardinals 1-0 on Jackson's first-half goal.

The Vaqueros defeated Utah Valley 3-0 last weekend, with all three scores coming in the second half. Last time the two teams met, it was also in Edinburg, Texas. GCU and UTRGV played to a scoreless draw in 2016.

For more GCU men's soccer news, notes and numbers, click here to view this week's match notes and click here to view the media guide.