Lopes shutout streak snapped in loss at UTRGV

Sunday, October 15

Edinburg, Texas

11:00 a.m.

Grand Canyon

6-7, 3-2WAC

UTRGV

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

Grand Canyon

UT Rio Grande Valley

10/15/2017 1:15:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Josh Hauser

EDINBURG, Texas - The first 60 seconds of the second half didn't go as planned as GCU was whistled for a yellow card and proceeded to allow the game-defining goal in a 2-0 loss at UTRGV on Sunday afternoon. The Vaqueros ended a stretch of 245 minutes where the Lopes had not allowed an opposing goal.

Less than one minute into the second half, the Vaqueros sent a cross into the box that was headed home by Angel Lopez. As time ran out, Lopez also tacked on the second goal of the game when the Lopes sent everyone forward looking for the equalizer.

"They just sat back the whole game," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "You look at the stats and can see that. Their second goal was just because we put everybody forward. I'm not concerned about our second goal. I'm concerned about all the goals we didn't make."

Grand Canyon out-shot UTRGV 11-5 including 5-3 in shots on goal, but the Vaqueros goalkeeper picked up five saves along the way.

"We have to show up ready to play. We just didn't put our best foot foward," Hyndman said. "If we don't show up, it doesn't matter who we're playing. We'll get back to work this week."

In the first half, it was Marco Afonso and Niki Jackson leading the charge offensively for Grand Canyon. In the 15th minute, Afonso interecepted a poor goal kick and fed Jackson whose shot was deflected. In the 43rd, Afonso lifted a shot from the left side of the box that was saved by the keeper.

Jackson Jellah also got in on the offense, as he sped past his defender and found himself in a one-on-one with the keeper. One touch got too far out in front of Jellah, however, and the keeper dove on the ball.

The Vaqueros made a point of nearly slowing the game to a halt, constantly playing the ball back to their keeper. Through 40 minutes of play, the teams had combined for just three shots.

UTRGV ended the first half with two good chances. Off of a free kick just outside the box, Isidro Martinez elected to shoot from his position and it took a diving save from Jeremy Pollard to keep UTRGV off the board. With time ticking down, the Vaqueros got off a corner kick but the GCU defense prevented the ball from getting anywhere near Pollard in goal.

When UTRGV picked up a goal in the early stages of the second half, they were able to set their defense back and focus on preserving the shutout. While the Lopes had a number of good opportunities in the box, they were never able to find the equalizer.

GCU has one more weekend of road matches coming next week, the final two road matches of the regular season. The Lopes will head to UMKC and Air Force next Friday and Sunday, respectively.