Shutout streak extends with GCU road win

Friday, August 27

San Antonio, Texas

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0-0, 0-0-0

Incarnate Word

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Grand Canyon

UIW

8/27/2021 7:37:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Lopes beat Incarnate Word, improve to 3-0 for 1st time since 2009

By: Jerob Moon

SAN ANTONIO — The Grand Canyon women's soccer team kicked off its first road trip of the season with a 1-0 shutout over Incarnate Word on Friday evening.

Junior forward Gianna Gourley was the hero for the Lopes, scoring the game-winning goal in the 42nd minute with an assist from senior Marleen Schimmer. GCU improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2009 without surrendering a goal this season.

"Really proud of the team to win our first road game of the season and for starting 3-0 with three straight shutouts," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "It wasn't our best performance tonight, but I think we learned as a team that even when we aren't playing our best game, we can really grit out performances in close games."

Gourely, who transferred to GCU after an NCAA tournament appearance for Iowa, capped off a half that the Lopes dominated offensively. GCU outshot Incarnate Word 8-3 and had multiple chances before Gourley's goal. Two would-be Lopes goals were waived off in the span of five minutes because of offsides flags.

GCU senior Camryn Larson also had a point-blank shot saved in the fifth minute while junior forward Dani Babb pushed a left-footed shot wide in the 35th minute.

It was the GCU defense that was the star in the second half, as the team extends a program record to three straight shutouts to start the season. Incarnate Word had only two shots on goal for the game with GCU center backs Hannah Edwards and Tyler Ferguson prevented any crosses and corners from landing in the penalty box.

The Lopes will wrap up the trip on Sunday with a game at UTSA at 11 a.m. (Phoenix time). The Roadrunners took care of fellow WAC opponent California Baptist on Thursday with a 3-0 win.