Lopes go 5-0 for program's best start

Friday, March 19

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-0-0, 5-0-0

California Baptist

4-1-2, 3-1-1

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

3/19/2021 9:44:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

No. 24 GCU takes down California Baptist 3-1 at home

By: Cassidy Mace

Grand Canyon men's soccer took down California Baptist 3-1 on Friday night to hold onto the top spot in the WAC. The 24th-ranked Lopes made history as the first GCU team to start a season at 5-0. GCU took down the Lancers (4-1-2-, 3-1-1 WAC) with three first-half goals.

"It feels fantastic, with everything that's gone on this year," GCU head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "What these players have had to go through mentally is something no one's done before. I thought today's game was probably our best game of the season, as far as 90-minute games. We scored some nice goals and we played a very good team. Obviously, they were second in the conference. I thought we played extremely well and moved the ball well. I take my hat off to the guys."

The Lopes took 15 shots, including six on goal, in the match to CBU's six total shots, including two that were saved by junior goalkeeper George Tasouris.

GCU sophomore forward Will Clark scored his first career goal in the 41st minute, the go-ahead goal of the match.

"It feels awesome," Clark said. "I was just happy to be with the guys. There's no one I'd rather score with. It's just the beginning, though. We want to go 8-0 this season. We're taking it game by game, trying to start strong. We've scored early in every game and just being able to play in front is such a big advantage."

Sophomore midfielder Hugo Logan took GCU's first shot in the fourth minute, putting it on goal in the top center for a CBU save.

Senior midfielder Justin Rasmussen scored a goal for the fourth consecutive match, putting the Lopes on the board in the 13th minute. Juniors Alexis Canales and Marios Andreou each recorded an assist, as Rasmussen sent the ball into the back-right corner of the net.

Senior Marco Afonso attempted to extend GCU's lead in the 19th minute, taking a shot off of a free kick but the ball went over the net.

Rasmussen had another good shot in the 23rd minute, drilling the ball toward the bottom right of the net but it was saved. Freshman Maximilian Moeller followed with a shot over the goal in the 24th minute. Canales put the Lopes' fourth shot on goal at 25:15, sending it toward the bottom right of the goal before it was saved.

Tasouris made his first save in the 37th minute, stopping a ball at the center of the goal.

GCU scored two goals within a minute for a 3-0 lead before halftime. Andreou scored to the center of the goal on a header, set up by an assist from Rasmussen. Clark followed up with an unassisted goal just 43 seconds later to the back-right corner of the net.

The Lopes finished the first half, leading CBU 3-0 with nine shots and six on goal, four corner kicks and one save.

Senior Ariel Aguas took the Lopes first shot of the second half in the 49th minute, missing to the left of the goal. Afonso took another shot in the 63rd minute, missing to the right.

California Baptist scored its only goal in the 65th minute on a penalty kick.

Aguas and Moeller took back-to-back shots in the 66th and 67th minutes, missing both. Moeller took another shot at 72:28, sending it just to the right of the goal.

Tasouris made his second save of the match in the 84th minute, stopping the ball in the bottom center to protect GCU's 3-1 lead.

The Lopes host Dixie State on Friday for their final home match of the season, celebrating Senior Night.

"Senior Night is always a special night," Hyndman said. "As everyone knows, this is my last year and I wanted to get all the seniors, the guys who played for me for four years and the guys that mean a lot to me. So Senior Night is an opportunity for them to be recognized for their contributions to GCU soccer, for their families to be recognized and it's always a special night."