Lopes host California duo

Friday, September 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

CSU Bakersfield

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Photo by: Slaven Gujic

9/27/2018 9:15:00 AM | Men's Soccer

GCU Match Notes 2018 Media Guide

GCU set to play CSU Bakersfield, California Baptist

By: Josh Hauser


CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (2-6, 0-1 WAC)	California Baptist Lancers (5-3-1, 1-0 WAC)	at	Grand Canyon Lopes (2-0, 0-0 WAC)
Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. Live Video \| Live Stats	Sunday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. Live Video \| Live Stats
Match Notes			Match Notes Media Guide

Conference play comes to GCU Stadium this weekend as the Grand Canyon men's soccer team hosts CSU Bakersfield on Friday and California Baptist on Sunday.

The Lopes got WAC play started on a winning note, defeating Incarnate Word 1-0. GCU is 3-1 at home this season.

Both matches will be available on GCU.tv and the WAC Digital Network.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

SHUTOUT SQUAD: The Lopes recorded their third shutout victory of the season against Incarnate Word on Sept. 23. GCU is one shutout win shy of tying the full-season mark from a year ago.
GOOD START: GCU remained unbeaten in its past four WAC openers by defeating Incarnate Word 1-0. Over the streak, this year's WAC opener was the first played on the road.
DRACK ATTACKS: Reigning WAC Freshman of the Year Josh Drack scored his first goal of the season with the game-winner at Incarnate Word. Drack scored three goals during conference play last season. The Chandler, Ariz., native was one of only two sophomores named to the Preseason All-WAC team.

SCOUTING

CSU Bakersfield got the season off to a good start with a 2-0 mark, including a 3-0 shutout win over Pacific. The Roadrunners are winless since then, including a 2-1 loss in the conference opener to San José State.

CSUB has scored 13 times this season, led by freshman forward Francisco Gomez. Five 'Runners have scored multiple goals this season.

The Lopes and Roadrunners met in Bakersfield last year with CSUB prevailing 3-2 in overtime.

California Baptist is in its first season in the WAC and its four-year transition from the Division II ranks is underway. It already has an impressive conference win to its credit, topping nationally ranked Seattle U 2-1 at home.

Sophomore forward Preston Judd is far and away the Lancers' top scoring threat and one of the nation's elite goal-scorers. Judd has scored 11 goals in seven matches for a goals per game mark (1.57) that ranks fourth nationally.

The last time the two programs met, the 2012 PacWest Conference title was on the line with GCU winning in overtime to claim the championship. The Lopes are 11-2-1 all-time against the Lancers.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU scored a 78th-minute goal on a feed from Bert Wilton to Josh Drack to defeat Incarnate Word 1-0 in the WAC opener. The game-winning goal was the WAC Play of the Week.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lopes are off to the West Coast to take on San José State and Seattle U. The Sunday match will serve as the Lopes' preview of the site of this year's WAC Tournament.

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