Hyndman joins 4 in DI 500-win club

Friday, August 30

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-0-0, 0-0-0

Northern Kentucky

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Northern Ky.

Grand Canyon

8/30/2019 11:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro

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GCU head coach becomes 2nd active coach to hit landmark

By: <a href="http://gculopes.com/index.aspx?path=coro">Paul Coro</a>

Schellas Hyndman has played in a national championship game, coached Major League Soccer playoff semifinal wins and coached college teams that won seven conference tournament championships and two NCAA tournament semifinal games.

Forty-two years into his coaching career, a victory can still be poignant and meaningful. Hyndman became the fifth Division I men's soccer head coach in history to win 500 games when he led his Grand Canyon team to a season-opening 3-0 home win against Northern Kentucky on Friday night.

In front of a GCU Stadium crowd of 3,328 fans, Hyndman became the second active Division I head coach with 500 wins and was showered with his players' affection for it. Sophomore Esai Easley and senior Marlon Atondo dumped a cooler of ice water on Hyndman before players doused him from their water bottles.

"It's just a wonderful feeling," Hyndman said. "I'd be lying to say this wasn't a special game for me. I just tried to put it out of mind but I'm sure glad that we got it and that we can move on. When you coach for half of a century, you're bound to hit some numbers."

The Lopes entered the season with confidence in their defense and trepidation about the offense but the latter was soothed with its highest-scoring game since 2017. GCU scored first for the fourth consecutive victorious opener at GCU Stadium but this one came the fastest.

In the game's second minute, GCU sophomore midfielder Marios Andreou raced in from the center of the field for a header upfield to sophomore forward Bert Wilton. Once Wilton pivoted with the ball, senior midfielder Tosh Yasuda had taken a diagonal unmarked and Wilton led him into the box.

Northern Kentucky goalkeeper Baj Maan dived to break up the scoring chance as Yasuda tumbled and the ball squirted away. Yasuda popped up and used his left foot to strike the ball past a Norse defender and into the empty net for his first collegiate goal.

"I was overwhelmed with emotion," Yasuda said. "I didn't know what to do. My teammates tackled me. I just went crazy after that. It was a surreal feeling. It was awesome to have such a crowd here. It's something really special that you can't get at a whole lot of places in America at all. I feel really lucky to have that."

Wilton was not done, surpassing his 2018 season point total in one game once he supplemented his assist with GCU's second goal.

GCU junior midfield Justin Rasmussen started a threat by sending a pass ahead on the left side for senior midfielder Pambos Aristotelous, who set up Wilton with a pinpoint cross at the top center of the box. Wilton controlled it and drilled a score past Maan on the left side for a 2-0 lead in the 26th minute.

"I was quite tired by that point," Wilton said. "I just made the edge of the box, took a touch on my feet and made the finish. It was a great goal by the team."

GCU outshot Northern Kentucky 19-8 (8-1 for shots on goal) with the Lopes defense limiting the Norse and sophomore Alex Willis, who ranked fourth for goals scored (16) in the NCAA last season. GCU kept him to one shot Friday night with junior transfers Ariel Aguas, from Phoenix College, and Nick Barreiro, from New Mexico, showing how they can help Easley and senior Austin Day in front of sophomore goalkeeper George Tasouris.

"The guy who really had a good game was Austin Day," Hyndman said. "They weren't going to beat him. He distributed the ball. It was probably the best game I've ever seen him play for GCU."

The Lopes added a final goal in the 89th minute on a penalty kick by Rasmussen, who scored on the ground despite Maan guessing right on his diving save attempt.

That made the final moments relaxed, as Hyndman got a warning that Easley was preparing an ice water bath for his 500th win.

"The guy has had an amazing career," Wilton said. "The fact that he's still going and still giving us great advice and helping us win games is unbelievable."

Hyndman did not even realize the players were aware of his feat, although many remembered him being on the cusp of the landmark when the Lopes earned their first NCAA Division I tournament berth last season.

"As much as I yell at them, push them and demand from them, it was really touching to see that they care," Hyndman said.

.@esaieasley8 and @marlonatondo_ helped Coach Hyndman celebrate his 500th win! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/fcHAz7itVt
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) August 31, 2019