GCU continues on the road


Grand Canyon Lopes (3-2)	vs.	UC Riverside Highlanders (5-1-1)
Match Notes R ecords	~~Live Video~~ Live Stats	~~Match Notes~~ ~~Records~~

The Grand Canyon men's soccer looks to bounce back from a road loss as it travels next to UC Riverside for a Sunday night match. The Lopes are coming off an uncharacteristic 4-0 loss at No. 17 Virginia Tech, marking the first time that they allowed more than one goal in a match this season and in 11 consecutive matches dating back to last season.

Sunday marks the second-ever meeting between the programs. The last time the Lopes and Highlanders played was Sept. 14, 2017, at GCU Stadium with the Lopes earning a 5-4 victory.

The match will be a Lopes on the Road event, more details here.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

WAC WEEKLY AWARDS: Sophomore defender Esai Easley earned his first weekly conference award after last week's win against Oregon State. The Kailua, Hawaii, native was named 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 a shutout in all three of its victories this season. The Lopes opened the season with a 3-0 win over Northern Kentucky at home. They also recorded a road shutout at Santa Clara (1-0) before returning home to blank Oregon State (1-0). Sophomore goalkeeper George Tasouris has been in goal for all three shutouts, having recorded 20 saves this season. Tasouris was named WAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and has the team tied for 43rd nationally in save percentage at .800.
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 and ony trails South Carolina's Mark Berson by nine.

SCOUTING

UC Riverside kicked off the season with a three-game winning streak, defeating Bryant and Hartford at home and CSU Bakersfield on the road in overtime. SMU handed the Highlanders their first loss of the season in Dallas, taking down UC Riverside 1-0.

The Highlanders bounced back with an impressive 2-0 win over then-No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast at home. UC Riverside also took down Air Force 2-1 before tying Loyola Marymount 0-0 in its last match on Thursday night.

UC Riverside's offense is led by junior forward Roberto Garcia-Vargas, who has recorded two goals and one assist for five points on the season. Another junior forward, Hugo Magana, also has recorded two goals this season. Defensively, senior Edwyn Gutierrez has started as goalkeeper in all seven games. Gutierrez has made 21 saves to tie for 50th nationally in total saves this season.

Head coach Tim Cupello returns for his sixth season with the Highlanders . Under Cupello's guidance, UC Riverside set a program record in season wins in 2012, recorded its first appearance in the Big West Tournament in 2013 and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history in 2018.

LAST TIME OUT

The Lopes fell to No. 17 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., on Tuesday.
The 4-0 loss was the first time the Lopes have allowed more than one goal since Oct. 21, 2018.

WHAT'S NEXT

GCU returns home to open WAC play against Incarnate Word on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 7 p.m. at GCU Stadium.

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

Esai Easley

George Tasouris

Grand Canyon University Athletics