Shutout of Air Force pushes GCU to 3-0

Saturday, March 6

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0-0, 3-0-0

Air Force

1-2-1, 1-2-1

Air Force

Grand Canyon

3/6/2021 10:08:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

Lopes ground Falcons at home in 1st shutout of season

By: Cassidy Mace

Grand Canyon men's soccer improved to 3-0 with its first shutout of the season in a 1-0 victory Air Force on Saturday night at GCU Stadium.

"It's a great start to the season," GCU head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "We've scored some great goals this year."

Lopes senior midfielder Justin Ramussen scored the only goal of the match, his third this season, on an incredible shot in the 48th minute.

"I'm on top of the world right now," Rasmussen said. "Just because of our team's success. Starting off 3-0, I don't think we've done that since I've been here in my four years. Right now, we're firing on all cylinders from the back to the front. We're just one collective unit. From (goalkeeper) George (Tasouris) being a brick wall in the back to the amazing options we've got going forward, I couldn't be happier for the team right now."

Tasouris, a junior, recorded one save against the Falcons (1-2-1, 1-2-1 WAC) and had the help from the defense of junior Esai Easley, senior Ariel Aguas and sophomores Will Clark and Pedro Mondragon.

"The defense was very good," Hyndman said. "I thought this was the best game George has played this year. We really needed him to step up and he did. It was a good performance on his part. The defense, again, was very good. We didn't give them too many free chances. It was really an exciting game. I think both teams put everything on the field and left it on the field."

GCU outshot Air Force 14-5, putting four shots on goal. The Falcons were only able to get one shot on goal.

"After so many injuries last season, I think our attack is much better this year," Hyndman said. "I think we're stronger. Freshman forward Maximilian Moeller brings a lot of calmness. He holds the ball up well and gets other people involved."

Rasmussen took GCU's first shot of the match, sending the ball just over the top of the goal at 2:51. Alejandro Fernandez Alcaide got the Lopes' first shot on goal in the seventh minute, placing the ball in the bottom center of the goal for an Air Force save.

Moeller got an impressive shot off a corner kick in the 35th minute. Marco Afonso took the corner for the Lopes with Easley getting a header as the first touch. Moeller attempted a bicycle kick to score off Easley's header, but the ball went high to miss over the net.

Another corner kick in the 43rd minute gave GCU another chance to score. Afonso took the corner for GCU again, but this time Alec LaBarge got the first touch, sending a header off to the right side. Alexis Canales took possession for the Lopes, sending it back to Fernandez Alcaide. He hit a high ball back into the box, which LaBarge headed over the top bar of the goal.

Neither team was able to score in the first half, with the Lopes outshooting the Falcons 7-2, putting two on target.

Rasmussen put the Lopes on the board in the first four minutes of the second half, scoring at 47:52 to take a 1-0 lead over the Falcons. Gaytan took a shot that was deflected by the Air Force goalkeeper, sending it to Ramussen at the right corner of the box. Rasmussen sent a perfect shot over the Falcon goalkeeper into the top left corner of the goal for his third goal this season.

"Justin's goal was exceptional," Hyndman said. "You don't see those types of goals very often and you don't see them at the collegiate level. He had every intent to do that and he hit it as good as he could have."

Rasmussen set the Lopes up for another potential goal in the 61st minute, crossing the ball to senior forward Tosh Yasuda, whose sliding shot missed by inches on the right side.

Tasouris made his one and only save of the match at a crucial spot in the second half. The Falcons put their only shot of the game on goal in the 83rd minute, looking to tie the match and send it to overtime. The dead-on shot was stopped by Tasouris to hold the Lopes' 1-0 lead.

Only three minutes later in the 86th minute, Air Force had another chance to score with a free kick. Tasouris grabbed the ball before any of the Falcons had a chance to attempt a shot, keeping GCU safe with four minutes left to play.

"Our goal right now is an 8-0, undefeated season," Rasmussen said. "It's definitely been a heck of a 12 months with everything happening, all the virus tests and games getting canceled and all of that. But we're just so good at staying together as a unit and keeping our heads in the right direction to be able to come out here and still get wins. It's awesome, it's a good thing to see."

GCU returns to action on Saturday as they travel to San Antonio to take on Incarnate Word.