Spring shows promise for fall

Saturday, February 16

Tucson, Ariz. / Kino Sports Complex

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

FC Dallas

4/10/2019 11:10:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Lopes motivated by 1st NCAA trip, narrow tourney loss

By: Josh Hauser

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in the program's Division I history last season. The Lopes were one chance deflection away from advancing to the second round.

Last fall's revamped roster, full of contributing underclassmen, seemed to gel for a stretch run that included six straight victories and a WAC Tournament title.

Motivated by the taste of postseason success, the Lopes got back to work over the course of a five-match spring schedule that spanned 50 days and ended Saturday.

"I think they realized that taste of success," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "Visibly, they see the trophy, they see the ring, they remember the celebration. We were the underdogs and, all of a sudden, we're winning it all."

As good as GCU's defense was, goals were hard to come by. While only allowing 17 goals in 21 games, GCU only scored 20. That led to the Lopes playing in 12 games that finished with a 1-0 score.

Hyndman and the staff used the 2018 spring season to repair a struggling defense. That resulted in GCU becoming the nation's most improved defense. This spring, GCU focused on creating goals.

"The whole spring season was geared toward scoring goals," Hyndman said. "Last year, our whole spring season was geared toward individual defending. This year, we identified that the thing we had to get better at was scoring goals. A lot of training sessions were designed to getting more opportunities and creating more opportunities and getting into the habit of finishing."

Sophomore-to-be Andres Morales spent time as GCU's striker and "showed some good flashes," along with the continued development of Calvin Kissi and Bert Wilton, who will also be sophomores next year.

"In the attack, we've seen better play out of Bert," Hyndman said. "I think he's in better shape and more acclimated to the collegiate game. He's fitter. He's showing us some of his qualities. Calvin is getting better every day. He has an unbelievable work ethic. We just have to get him finishing better, and I think that's on the horizon."

The Lopes had the unique opportunity of opening their spring schedule against an MLS club. Hyndman had the even more unique opportunity of coaching against his former club who is under the direction of a former player in Luchi Gonzalez.

"At that level, it's the first time," Hyndman said. "I've had former players that have coached other (college) teams, but never to that level of being an MLS coach. Obviously, I'm really proud of him. I want nothing but the best for him. It just continues the relationship that (GCU) has with FC Dallas. (Lopes goalkeeper) George Tasouris is going to train with them this summer, and that's just an easy phone call."

Gonzalez played for Hyndman at SMU and was the Hermann Award winner for the top player in college soccer. Hyndman also helped Gonzalez land the job as the director of the FC Dallas Academy, which led to an easy transition this offseason into head coach of FC Dallas.

The Lopes played all five spring matches without last season's goalkeepers, Tasouris and Corey Marques, while junior-to-be Marco Afonso went down with an injury in the first match. Kentaro Matsuura saw the majority of minutes in goal.

After a 2-0 defeat to FC Dallas, the Lopes played their remaining four matches at GCU Stadium. The Lopes picked up wins against Phoenix College and Arizona Western, while recording draws against FC Tucson and in a reserve game against Embry-Riddle.

Unquestionably, the highlight of the spring season came March 9 against FC Tucson. Just a handful of minutes into the match against the pro club, Pambos Aristotelous scored a goal from the midfield line, chipping a shot past an aggressive keeper.

"It really was incredible," Hyndman said. "It was a goal that I personally saw only once before. When Pambos hit that shot, I think all of our reactions were, 'What the heck? Wow!' Then the place exploded with excitement. It was a brilliant goal. The only way things like that happen is the player has to have vision."

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A post shared by Pambos Aristotelous (@pambosaristotelous) on Mar 15, 2019 at 5:28pm PDT

After a few narrow misses during his injury-limited action in the fall, Tosh Yasuda also scored against FC Tucson.

Newcomer Ariel Aguas, a Phoenix College transfer, joined the Lopes for spring action and looks to fill the centerback role of graduate Sam Gardner.

"I got a chance to see some of Ariel, who I think is a really good player," Hyndman said. "I can see where he can contribute. Him and Esai Easley developed a good partnership."

Hyndman complimented the defensive efforts of Austin Day and Marlon Atondo, who look to carve out starting roles on the Lopes back line in their final collegiate seasons.

In the midfield, GCU got its first extended look at the Cypriot duo of Aristotelous and Marios Andreou. Aristotelous missed much of the 2018 season due to transfer rules and was just regaining full fitness in the four games he played at the end of the season.

"In the midfield, this is the first time we've gone with Pambos and Marios for this long of a period of time," Hyndman said. "Those two are going to be hard to break down."

Fully healthy, Yasuda joined Justin Rasmussen with consistent playing time this spring.

"Justin has done a good job for us on the left side," Hyndman said. "He got a lot of playing time, which I know will come in valuable for him. Tosh looks healthier. I think we have a little bit of a nucleus of a team that can find some success."

With summer approaching, GCU looks for continued individual development of its players before the team reunites in August for preseason training.

"We try to keep the guys active in the summer," Hyndman said. "If they want to get on some of these PDL (Premier Development League) teams, we try to help set that up. Some have places to go already. Other guys will be going home and training there and get as much soccer in as they can. Once you come to the university for the first time, it is eye-opening. Now you understand the demands and the intensity that goes into it in college. These guys will be a little bit more prepared."

Another challenging fall schedule approaches as the Lopes look to harness the success of the end-of-year run and sustain it over an entire season.

GCU won't lack for motivation following its first NCAA tournament trip and being a bad bounce away from advancing to the second round.

"What a thrilling end of the season for us," Hyndman said. "We're going to talk about that, but we're not going to hold it over the players' heads. What I hope is that they want it as much as us coaches want it because now they've tasted it."