Offense aggressive in close defeat

Thursday, March 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-8-0, 2-4-0

UT Rio Grande Valley

7-3-2, 4-3-1

UTRGV

Grand Canyon

3/18/2021 10:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

GCU outshoots UTRGV 26-10 in loss

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team dropped the opening game of a two-game set 2-1 to UT Rio Grande Valley at GCU Stadium on Thursday night.

The Lopes gave up an early goal in the 10th minute but equalized in the second half with a penalty kick by Jaycee Iranshad. UTRGV sealed the win with a penalty kick in the 78th minute.

GCU (2-8, 2-4 WAC) put in one of its best performances of the season, outshooting UTRGV 26-10. Midfielder Marleen Schimmer led the way with seven shots while Lindsey Prokop and Iranshad added five shots each.

In the 10th minute, UTRGV (7-3-2, 4-3-1 WAC) scored on a goal by Anna Barkley after GCU freshman goalkeeper Jordan Ferguson bobbled the save and it went into the goal. It was the sixth goal of the season that the Lopes have allowed in the first 10 minutes of a game.

Trailing 1-0, the Lopes began to press on offense and were aggressive with 10 shots in the first half. Defender Anna Whitaker drew a save out of UTRGV keeper Maile Lunardi on a corner kick in the 18th minute. Prokop forced Lunardi into another save in the 25th minute.

One of the best chances for the Lopes came in the 53rd minute, when forward Raeanne Jones, starting her second straight game, got behind the UTRGV back line and shot it wide across the goal and out of the reach for Camryn Larson.

GCU equalized with a penalty kick by Iranshad in the 71st minute. It was the sophomore's first career penalty kick and her fourth goal of the season, as she slotted it home in the right corner.

UTRGV regained the lead with a penalty kick as Whitaker fouled Sydney Hammond on the very edge of the penalty box. The Vaqueros' leading scorer, Emily Zapata, scored the penalty with a top-right corner finish.

The Lopes had their chances down the stretch, taking three shots that included a cross-goal shot by Schimmer that hit the right post.

The Lopes and Vaqueros will meet again at noon Saturday at the GCU Tennis Facility.