Weller scores in 1st career match

Friday, October 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-5-4, 1-3-3

Houston Baptist

4-9-0, 2-5-0

Houston Baptist

Grand Canyon

10/25/2019 10:24:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Freshman goal highlights GCU's 4-3 loss to HBU

By: Cassidy Mace

Grand Canyon freshman forward Cameron Weller made an impact in his first career match on Friday night against Houston Baptist. The Spokane, Washington, native scored a game-tying goal for GCU men's soccer in the final two minutes of regulation to send the match into overtime, where the Lopes fell 4-3 at GCU Stadium.

GCU (4-5-4, 1-3-3 WAC) put three goals on the board for the first time since its season opener but the Huskies (4-9, 2-5) won in the ninth minute of overtime on its second penalty-kick goal of the game.

"It was fantastic," Lopes head coach Schellas Hyndman said of Weller's first goal. "Not only did he score, but he was active, and he was working hard. Being down a man is really tough. I think you saw where a few of their players were getting fatigued and cramps and our guys were just going on energy and determination and desire. We have that and it's a wonderful sign. Talent without teamwork equals disaster and, today, I thought we had the talent and I thought we had the teamwork. I think we had extremely high motivation and work ethic."

The Lopes faced adversity early in the match, going down 2-0 in the first 25 minutes after back-to-back goals from the Huskies' Daminick Faletto, who scored all four of their goals. GCU regained its footing on a goal from sophomore forward Bert Wilton, who headed the ball into the goal with an assist from junior midfielder Justin Rasmussen on a free kick in the 32nd minute. Both Wilton and Rasumussen recorded one goal and one assist in the match.

Rasmussen's goal came after a Huskies penalty kick goal put the Lopes down 3-1. Rasmussen responded with his own penalty kick goal in the 56th minute, sending the ball past the tips of the goalie's fingers to cut Houston Baptist's lead to 3-2.

Weller came through to even the match 3-3 with 1:53 left to play, taking a breakaway off a pass from Wilton and firing a 20-yard shot from the top right of the box to the inside of the left post.

"The ball came to me and I didn't have much help, so I just started running at them," Weller said. "I got it on my right foot, and I got enough space behind him and I took the shot. When I subbed in, the coach just told me, 'Cameron, just go on the field and shoot,' so that's what I did. It was surreal, really. I actually didn't know what was going on. I had to blink a couple times as I was running. It's something I've thought about, and it happened and I'm excited that it did."

The match went into overtime, the fifth time that a Lopes match has reached extra time this season. Falletto scored his third goal on a penalty kick in the 99th minute to secure the Huskies win.

GCU is back at GCU Stadium on Sunday to take on Kansas City at 7 p.m.