Lopes lose in heartbreaker

Sunday, August 26

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-3

NAU

3-1

OT 3

OT 4

Northern Arizona

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Slaven Gujic

8/26/2018 10:11:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Own goal in double overtime decides match

By: Jerob Moon

For 103 minutes, the Grand Canyon women's soccer team and Northern Arizona played an equally competitive match with both teams creating chances on the offensive end while playing good defense on the other.

But the Lopes' overtime misfortune continued Sunday night. A brilliant night of defense ended with an unlucky bounce to give NAU a 1-0 victory in double overtime at GCU Stadium. It was GCU's third overtime loss in its 1-3 start to the season, in which the defense only has allowed one regulation goal over 360 minutes.

GCU staved off 15 NAU shots through regulation and the first overtime, only to have a simple play take an odd spin. Sophomore midfielder Mikaela McGee was pressuring a NAU attack when Lumberjacks forward Heather Donais attempted to center the ball. Sophomore defender Hannah Edwards cut off the pass but the ball took a funky spin off her left foot and redirected into the goal.

In the first half, the Lopes (1-3) and Lumberjacks (3-1) were evenly matched on the field and on the stat sheet as well. GCU outshot NAU 6-4 with two of the Lopes' shots being on goal.

The Lumberjacks picked up the pace in the second half, outshooting the Lopes 8-1 to keep GCU goalkeeper Abby Burton busy. Burton recorded four saves in the half. Late in regulation time, Burton and the Lopes' back line were able to fight off an NAU offensive surge of two shots on goal and two corner kicks in the final three minutes.

The first overtime went by quickly with each team attempting one shot that was saved. In the second overtime, NAU controlled most of the possessions and broke through the back line of the Lopes in the fourth minute, causing the own goal.

McKenzie Cook led the Lopes on offense with four shots, two of them on goal, along with Noah Johnson and Sarah Inafuku providing a spark off the bench with one shot on goal each.

The Lopes will head to Texas for matches at Texas-El Paso on Friday, Aug. 31, and at Texas-San Antonio on Sunday, Sept. 2.