4-0 Lopes get second straight shutout

Saturday, March 13

San Antonio, Texas

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-0-0, 4-0-0

Incarnate Word

1-3-0, 1-3-0

Grand Canyon

UIW

3/13/2021 8:28:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

GCU takes down Incarnate Word on the road

By: Cassidy Mace

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Grand Canyon men's soccer posted its second-straight shutout on Saturday at Incarnate Word to stay undefeated this season. The Lopes (4-0, 4-0 WAC) took down the Cardinals (1-3, 1-3 WAC) on the road in a 1-0 victory.

The win over Incarnate Word marks the first time a GCU team has gone 4-0 to start the season since 1989.

Senior midfielder Justin Rasmussen scored the only goal of the match, his fourth of the season, in the 24th minute on a penalty kick.

The GCU defense had a big night, holding the Cardinals to zero shots until the 89th minute of the match. The Lopes outshot Incarnate Word 11 to two, putting five shots on goal.

Tosh Yasuda took the first shot of the match for either team in the 6th minute putting it on goal in the top left, but it was saved by the Cardinals goalkeeper. Hugo Logan took another shot for the Lopes at 11:38, on goal in the bottom center but Incarnate Word saved that as well.

Rasmussen put the Lopes on the board in the 24th minute, scoring on a penalty kick to go up 1-0. His shot went right past the Incarnate Word goalkeeper in the bottom center of the goal for his fourth of the season.

Marco Afonso got another shot on goal for GCU in the first half, putting the ball in the bottom center of the goal in the 29th minute to be saved by Incarnate Word.

An opportunity for GCU came in the 34th minute as the Lopes took the only corner kick of the first half. Ariel Aguas got a header off the cross, but it went over the goal.

The GCU defense held the Cardinals to zero shots in the first half of the match, while the Lopes offense took five shots in the first 45 minutes, putting four on goal.

Pedro Mondragon took the first shot of the second half for GCU, sending the ball high over the goal in the 50th minute. Maximilian Moeller took his first shot of the match at 59:22, missing high and to the right before taking another shot, this time blocked, in the 67th minute.

The Lopes had another opportunity to score with their second corner kick of the match in the 68th minute. Marious Andreou took a shot for GCU but missed to the left of the goal.

Afonso took his third shot of the match in the 71st minute but was blocked by Incarnate Word. GCU didn't take another shot until Moeller put one on goal in the 86th minute, saved by the Cardinals.

Incarnate Word's first shot of the match came at 88:30, as the Cardinals took a free kick from the top of the goalkeeper's box. The Cardinals were able to put the shot on goal in the bottom left hand corner of the goal, but junior goalkeeper George Tasouris made the save to hold onto the GCU lead. Incarnate Word took one more shot in the match immediately after the first, but it missed over the goal.

The Lopes were able to hold their lead through a scoreless second half, finishing with a 1-0 win over the Cardinals.

GCU is back home on Friday as they take on California Baptist at GCU Stadium at 7 p.m.