Lopes travel to No. 17 Virginia Tech

Thursday, September 12

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Oregon State

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9/16/2019 11:10:00 AM | Men's Soccer

MATCH NOTES

GCU defense enters match with 1 goal allowed

By: Cassidy Mace


Grand Canyon Lopes (3-1, 0-0 WAC)	vs.	Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1, 0-1 ACC)
Match Notes R ecords	Live Video Live Stats	R ecords

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team hits the road to take on No. 17 Virginia Tech on Tuesday at 4 p.m. (Phoenix time). The Lopes are coming off their third shutout victory of 2019 after a 1-0 Friday victory against Oregon State.

The meeting between the Lopes and the Hokies is the first-ever competition between the two programs.

Tuesday's game will be live streamed on ACC Network Extra.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

WAC WEEKLY AWARDS: Sophomore defender Esai Easley earned his first weekly conference award after Thursday night's win against Oregon State. The Kailua, Hawaii, native was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Week for his work in the back line of GCU's third shutout of the season. The award is GCU's first weekly recognition of 2019.
SHUTOUT SQUAD: GCU has recorded three shutout victories in four games played and is tied for sixth in the nation for goals against average (0.25 per game). The Lopes opened the season with a 3-0 win over Northern Kentucky at home. They also recorded a road shutout at Santa Clara before returning home to blank Oregon State. Sophomore goalkeeper George Tasouris has been in goal for all three shutouts, having recorded 16 saves and allowing only one goal in four games.
THE 500 CLUB: With the win in the Lopes' season opener over Northern Kentucky, head coach Schellas Hyndman became the fifth Division I coach in NCAA history to earn 500 collegiate career wins. Hyndman is one of only two active D-I coaches with at least 500 career wins, only eight behind South Carolina's Mark Berson.

SCOUTING

Virginia Tech enters Tuesday's game coming off its first loss of the 2019 season. The Hokies fell to No. 18 North Carolina on Friday night, 3-1. Virginia Tech kicked off the season with four straight wins over Loyola Marymount, UC Santa Barbara, Loyola (Md.) and Hofstra, earning the the No. 9 spot on the United Soccer Coaches poll.

Kristo Strickler leads the Hokies on offense after the first five games of the season. The junior midfielder boasts nine points with four goals and one assist in 2019. Strickler has recorded a goal in three of the Hokies' five games, including a two-goal performance against Hofstra.

Virginia Tech has started Mathijs Swaneveld as goalie in all five of its matchups this season. Swaneveld has made 13 saves for a .591 save percentage, allowing 1.8 goals per game.

Head coach Mike Brizendine leads the Hokies for his 11th season, holding a 75-96-25 record. The Hokies made it to the NCAA tournament in 2018, taking down Charlotte in the first round before being defeated by James Madison.

LAST TIME OUT

The Lopes defeated Pac-12 opponent Oregon State 1-0 at home on Thursday.
Senior midfielder Pambos Aristotelous scored the Lopes' lone goal of the game in the 45th minute.
GCU recorded its third shutout of 2019 against the Beavers.