GCU season, Hyndman career end at NCAAs

Sunday, May 2

Matthews, N.C.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-2-0, 7-0-0

Washington

11-3-0, 7-3-0

Grand Canyon

Washington

Photo by: Brian Westerholt / Sports On Film

5/2/2021 5:10:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro

Box Score NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME GALLERY Photo Gallery

Lopes fall 2-0 to Washington in retiring coach's 27th tournament visit

By: Paul Coro

MATTHEWS, N.C. – In 26 previous NCAA tournament appearances, Schellas Hyndman has followed a season-ending loss by consoling players who had played their final game or did not know if they had made their last NCAA tournament visit.

This time, the retiring Grand Canyon head coach shared the feeling with his Lopes.

Hyndman's Hall of Fame career ended Sunday with GCU's 2-0 loss to No. 7 seed Washington in the NCAA tournament's second round. Despite losing four starters before the season and two more before the NCAA tournament, Hyndman walked off the field Sunday having left another massive footprint on the soccer scene.

GCU made its second NCAA tournament visit in the past three seasons, a feat only 32 other programs can claim. But that came with little immediate consolation for Hyndman, who felt more of the same finality as his players this time.

Schellas Hyndman

"All in all, it was a good season," Hyndman told his team on the field. "It's a bad moment for all of us. But I want to wish you guys continued success in the future."

The 2018 season was a program breakthrough with GCU's first national ranking and NCAA Division I tournament debut. This one took the Lopes to another level with GCU going undefeated in the regular season and entering the NCAA tournament with a first-round bye because of its No. 11 ranking in NCAA Ratings Percentage Index.

Hyndman was making his 27th NCAA tournament appearance, just as many as Washington's program and one shy of the NCAA tournament record that he likely would hold if not for six years as a MLS coach.

He had the Lopes ready to be the aggressor, which they were in the early minutes. The game turned on Washington's ability to convert set pieces into goals in the 21st and 55th minutes.

"They're a team that disrupts you a lot," Hyndman said of the Huskies, the tournament's No. 7 seed. "We just never got on track outside of that first 10 minutes. I thought it was a game that slipped through our hands."

GCU had the best early threat when senior forward Marco Afonso sent a shot over the crossbar, but a Lopes foul set up a free kick above the box. Washington's Charlie Ostrem delivered a pass wide of GCU's three-man wall to teammate Ryan Sailor, an unmarked second runner who scored on a header.

There were only three other shots in a Washington 1-0 first half. Tthe Lopes appeared to have a chance to tie eight minutes into the second half, but an official's discretion to overlook a Huskies hand ball in the box allowed play to continue.

Three minutes later, Washington (11-3) scored when a throw-in was headed away by GCU freshman Maximilian Moeller, but All-Pac-12 first-team midfielder Christian Soto left-footed the ball out of the air and into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

The Lopes could not muster an answer, failing to put a shot on goal until the 84th minute.

"It's hard to comprehend that the season is over," Lopes senior forward Justin Rasmussen said. "It's tough. We came out with momentum in the first 15 minutes, knocking it and playing our game, and they made tactical changes that put us in some confrontations we weren't ready to deal with and took it back to us. Two very unfortunate goals off set pieces. That's the worst way to lose.

"I'm proud of these guys. We fought hard. It's been a season like no other. I couldn't be prouder to captain the guys."

Lopes goalkeeper George Tasouris was the last to leave the field, crouching in front of the goal before walking off.

"We felt like we could do something special this year and, yeah, we've done something special, but I don't like to lose and look at the good things I've done," Tasouris said. "All the guys gave everything. It just wasn't our day."

It was more of the same for a Washington team that has outscored opponents 33-10 this season, but GCU expected more with three players starting in their second NCAA tournament and six Lopes appearing in both tournaments.

"It's a lesson for all of us to grow and come back next season stronger and chase it again," said GCU junior midfielder Marios Andreou, one of those returning NCAA tournament starters. "We believe we could go further. We have to keep our heads up and keep working hard. We are united all together. We'll come back next season stronger."

The Lopes earned this trip as one of five non-Power 5 programs to receive an at-large bid. It allowed Hyndman to have a fitting farewell in coaching his 57th NCAA tournament game, tying him for fourth most in history.

"It's a wave of emotions," Hyndman said. "It's on to the next chapter.

"I'll be connected to GCU for my entire life and I'll be watching them very energetically next year. It's really been an honor for me to coach these guys and at GCU. There will be some sadness and tears. These boys will all get over it and be laughing again shortly, but this was a great year."

And a legendary career for Hyndman, who entered the United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame last year. He accumulated aA511-171-58 record that put him at No. 15 for career wins. He made three NCAA semifinal runs. He guided FC Dallas to the MLS Cup. And he put a third program on the NCAA map at GCU.