Grand Canyon hosts UNLV on Senior Day

Saturday, November 4

Phoenix, Ariz.

7:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

UNLV

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Photo by: Slaven Gujic

11/3/2017 4:50:00 PM | Men's Soccer

GCU Match Notes 2017 Media Guide

Lopes set to honor six seniors with postseason play on the line

By: Josh Hauser


Grand Canyon Lopes (7-9-1, 4-4-1 WAC)	vs.	UNLV Rebels (9-9, 6-3 WAC)
		Sat, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. MST
GCU Match Notes Media Guide		Game Notes Live Stats Live Video

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team is set to wrap up its regular season slate with the hosting of UNLV on Saturday night at 7 p.m. MST. The Lopes will honor their six seniors in Jordan Slack, Charlie Keating, Amer Sasivarevic, Niki Jackson, Khadim Seye and Aidan McGlothan.

Postseason qualification and seeding is on the line, with the Lopes controlling their own destiny. Should the Lopes win or tie on Saturday, they'll be postseason bound. A loss would make things more complicated with a host of scenarios possible.

Saturday's match will be televised on YurView in the Phoenix (4/1004) and Las Vegas (96/1096) markets via Cox Cable television. It will also be simulcast on ESPN3 and GCU.tv. The pregame show is set for 6:30 p.m. MST with Barry Buetel (play-by-play), Cobi Jones (analysis) and Kate Longworth (reporter).

MATCH NOTES

With a draw and win last weekend, the Lopes unbeaten streak at home ran to five last weekend. Grand Canyon is 6-1-1 on the year at GCU Stadium with impressive victories over Evansville and Utah Valley and a hard-fought draw with then-No. 22 Seattle U.

It's senior day, with GCU honoring six individuals:

Niki Jackson will leave as GCU's most decorated Division I soccer player. Jackson ranks second in WAC history and third in GCU history in career goals (39).
Jordan Slack and Amer Sasivarevic are two fifth-year seniors who have seen every step of GCU's transition after joining as freshmen in 2013.
Aidan McGlothan played more minutes than anyone on GCU's roster this season and scored his first two goals.
Khadim Seye and Charlie Keating finish off two-year stints with GCU after transferring from Monroe College and UC San Diego, respectively.

After sustaining an injury in the season opener, Creighton transfer Evan Waldrep made his return last weekend with limited action in both matches. Waldrep was named one of the nation's Top 3 transfers this offseason by Top Drawer Soccer.

Jeremy Pollard has made strides in goal this season for GCU, even earning Coach Schellas Hyndman's praise as the "Player of the Match" last Friday vs. Seattle U. Pollard broke his own GCU Division I record with 14 saves in the Lopes' draw against the Redhawks. The previous record was nine saves in the home opener on Sept. 7.

The Lopes are continuing a strong offensive attack this season. The Lopes rank 15th nationally with 15.5 shots per match. GCU's shots are becoming increasingly accurate too as the Lopes now rank 11th in the country with 6.8 shots on goal per match.

LAST WEEK

On Friday night, the Lopes took a second-half lead on No. 22 Seattle U on a penalty kick. However, GCU did allow a late goal and the teams went on to draw after two overtime periods. Grand Canyon dodged a bullet thanks to Pollard's 14 saves as the Redhawks fired off 29 shots.

In a critical match with postseason implications, Damian German scored the game-winning goal in the 98th minute of the first overtime to grant GCU a 3-2 victory over visiting Utah Valley. The Lopes allowed an early goal, scored two straight to take a lead, then allowed a goal in the last minute to send the game to overtime.

THE OPPONENTS

The Rebels are coming off of a 2-1 overtime win over Seattle U last weekend with Timo Mehlich scoring the golden goal. It was a good rebound victory for a UNLV team who was upset by Utah Valley earlier on the weekend.

For a non-conference common opponent, both teams emerged victorious over Oral Roberts. UNLV's came by a 5-1 tally and GCU won 1-0.

Last season, UNLV finished fourth in the WAC's regular season standings but came away from the WAC Tournament victorious. UNLV won a first round game in the NCAA Tournament by penalty kicks.

In a Las Vegas meeting between the two programs last season, the Rebels and Lopes tied 2-2. GCU scored two second half goals and then held off the Rebels in OT. Jackson scored twice within one minute to erase UNLV's 2-0 lead.

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.