Lopes shut out Vaqueros 3-0

Saturday, March 20

Phoenix, Ariz.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-8-0, 3-4-0

UT Rio Grande Valley

7-4-2, 4-4-1

UTRGV

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Brandon Sullivan

3/20/2021 3:49:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

GCU splits the WAC series with UTRGV

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team rebounded after a loss on Thursday with a 3-0 shutout of UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday at GCU Stadium.

The Lopes (3-8, 3-4 WAC) put their offense attack on display again with a 21-11 shots advatnage on the Vaqueros (7-4-2, 4-4-1 WAC), including a 12-4 advantage on shots on goal.

"We were so disappointed with Thursday night because we outshot them," GCU head coach Chris Cissell said. "We played really well on Thursday. We played good enough to win. We just didn't finish our chances. I was really proud of them, not only to score three goals, but I thought we scored three great goals, with three great assists. To be able to shut out a really good team like them is something we should be proud of. We've had good halves here and there but I felt like this was a good full 90 minutes of good soccer."

The Lopes got on the scoreboard early after defender Tyler Ferguson found midfielder Marleen Schimmer down the field with a long pass. Schimmer then played a through ball to forward Raeanne Jones, who slipped behind the UTRGV defense. Jones finished with a right-footed shot into the bottom corner for her first goal of the season.

GCU wasn't done scoring in the first half. Dani Babb intercepted a pass in the midfield and found sophomore forward Lindsey Prokop in space on the left side. The sophomore cut back inside and finished her shot into the bottom left corner off the post. It was the first goal for the reigning WAC Freshman of the Year in a Lope uniform.

"I couldn't have done it without this team," Prokop said. "They are absolutely amazing, and they have helped me through every step of the way. I kind of went into a funk at the beginning of the season, but the girls stepped up and they're the ones that helped me with the goal."

"She's been working really hard," Cissel said about Prokop. "She's played well. The goals just haven't come for her. I'm hoping that now that she kind of broke the seal, so to speak, and got her first GCU goal that the goals will start coming in. Sometimes, all a forward needs is to get that first one, and once they get the first one they start coming in bunches, so I'm hoping that that's what happens for Prokop."

With a 2-0 lead at halftime, the GCU defense locked down in the second half, allowing six UTRGV shots while freshman goalie Jordan Ferguson made a pair of saves to ear her first careeer shutout.

After assisting on a goal in the first half, Schimmer was able to create offense by scoring with a left-footed shot in the middle of the penalty box in the 65th minute. The junior midfielder led the Lopes in offense with seven shots and helped create chances for Babb and Jones, who each took three shots each on goal.

The Lopes will hit the road next week, traveling for two games at Chicago State on March 25 and 27.