Lopes upend No. 25 Seattle U

Sunday, October 7

Seattle, Wash.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-6-0, 3-2-0WAC

Seattle U

9-4-0, 3-2-0WAC

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

10/7/2018 8:41:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

GCU records 3rd win over top-25 opponent

By: Josh Hauser

SEATTLE — The Grand Canyon men's soccer team has squared off against three nationally ranked opponents this season. The Lopes have beaten all three.

GCU senior Jackson Jellah scored the game's lone goal as the Lopes halted No. 25 Seattle U's six-match win streak with a 1-0 win on Sunday night.

"Our team really plays well and up to the level of competition," GCU head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "Everybody was focused. It was a game where everybody came out and followed their assignments. They took pride in their roles and pride in the team as a whole."

GCU (6-6, 3-2 WAC) benefited from a foul call for a trip from behind by a Seattle U player. On the ensuing free kick, senior Alex Radilla sent a ball from near the left sideline to the far post, where Jellah sneaked behind the keeper to head in the ball. The 55th-minute goal was the only scoring by either side.

"He's not really known for his heading abilities," Hyndman said of Jellah. "This was the biggest goal he's made for GCU. There wasn't really a great angle for him, and there were a lot of bodies in his way."

Jellah was later sent off the field after a 66th-minute red card, but the GCU defense ensured his efforts were enough and finished the shutout of Seattle U (9-4, 3-2 WAC) despite being a man down.

"The defense was outstanding," Hyndman said. "Everyone was supporting each other so there wasn't a moment where a defender was isolated. They were really switched on the whole match. There were no moments of falling asleep or giving balls away."

The theme of a diverse offensive attack continued for GCU with Jellah becoming the eighth Lopes player score a goal this season.

GCU redshirt freshman goalkeeper George Tasouris earned every bit of his fifth shutout win of the season, making eight saves while also gobbling up a number of crosses through the box. Tasouris helped the Lopes set a program record for shutout victories in the Division I era with six regular-season matches still to be played.

"George was the same old story," Hyndman said. "He's been outstanding for us in the goal. We went 30 minutes from a man down and all they were doing was banging balls in the box and George was eating them up. He's playing with some of the best in the country right now."

Seattle U outshot GCU 28-6, but the Redhawks shots became increasingly wild. Of the Redhawks' 19 second-half attempts, only four were on target.

Following the first road win over a D-I top-25 opponent in program history, the Lopes move into a fourth-place tie with Seattle U and, their next opponent, UT Rio Grande Valley. The Vaqueros visit GCU Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday for the Lopes' lone match of the week.