GCU heads to Air Force, Utah Valley


Grand Canyon Lopes (4-6-4, 1-4-3 WAC)	vs	Air Force Falcons (5-9, 4-4 WAC)	Utah Valley Wolverines (8-6-1, 5-3 WAC)
		Thursday, Oct. 31 6 p.m. (PHX)	Saturday, Nov. 2 5 p.m. (PHX)
Match Notes		Live Video Live Stats	Live Video Live Stats

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team hits the road for the last time in the regular season to take on Air Force and Utah Valley on Thursday and Saturday. The Lopes face the Falcons at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Thursday in the Holaday Athletic Center after a time and venue change due to weather. GCU then travels to Orem, Utah, to play the Wolverines at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Saturday.

Both matches will broadcast live on the WA C Digital Network.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

HYNDMAN TO THE HALL OF FAME: GCU head coach Schellas Hyndman will be inducted into the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame in January. Hyndman hit a landmark win in the Lopes' season opener over Northern Kentucky, becoming the fifth Division I coach in NCAA history to earn 500 collegiate career wins. Hyndman is one of only two active DI coaches with at least 500 career wins, trailing South Carolina coach Mark Berson by nine.
TASOURIS WINS WAC AWARD: Sophomore goalkeeper George Tasouris earned his first weekly honor of 2019 on Oct. 21 when he was named WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his sixth shutout of the season at UT Rio Grande Valley. Tasouris was named WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and ranks in the top 100 nationally in shutouts (25th), goalie minutes played (48th), total saves (71st), save percentage (73rd) and saves per game (94th).
SHUTOUT SQUAD: GCU has recorded a shutout in all four wins this season. The Lopes have held six opponents scoreless, three at home and three on the road. GCU ranks 40th nationally in shutout percentage (.464).

SCOUTING

Air Force is 5-9 this season with a 4-4 conference record. The Falcons kicked off the season with a 2-1 win at Army before hitting a five-match losing streak to finish 1-5 in their nonconference schedule. Air Force regained its footing with back-to-back wins to start off WAC play, first with a 4-1 home win over Kansas City and then a 3-1 victory at Incarnate Word. Since then, the Falcons have won matches against CSU Bakersfield and Houston Baptist and fallen to UT Rio Grande Valley, California Baptist, Seattle U and San Jose State.

Midfielder Tristan Trager leads the team on offense with 16 points this season. The sophomore has scored six goals and recorded six assists. Quinn Matulis, a freshman midfielder, also has been a threat on offense with seven goals on the season. Sophomore Kainoa Likewise has started 13 matches as goalkeeper for the Falcons, recording 53 saves.

Thursday is the ninth meeting between GCU and Air Force with the Falcons leading the series 4-3-1. The Lopes have won 1-0 in each of the last two meetings.

Utah Valley ranks second in the WAC with a 5-3 record against conference opponents. The Wolverines went 3-3-1 in nonconference before kicking off their WAC schedule with a five-match winning streak. Utah Valley has since lost its last three matches against Kansas City, San Jose State and Seattle U. The Wolverines will face UNLV on Thursday night at home before taking on the Lopes on Saturday.

Senior forward Blake Fischknecht is tied for first in the WAC with nine goals this season. He also leads the WAC with 61 shots. Defensively, senior Mitch Jensen has started 10 of 15 matches for the Wolverines in the goalkeeper's box, making 28 saves for a .700 save percentage.

The series between the Lopes and Wolverines is tied 3-3. GCU has won the last three meetings between the two teams.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU fell to Kansas City 2-0 at home on Sunday.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lopes close out the regular season at home against UNLV on Nov. 9 for Senior Day.

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

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

SCOUTING

LAST TIME OUT

WHAT'S NEXT

Next Event

Players Mentioned

George Tasouris

Grand Canyon University Athletics