GCU posts 4th shutout, tops NAU 3-0

Friday, September 3

Flagstaff, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-1-0, 0-0-0

Northern Arizona

0-5-0, 0-0-0

Grand Canyon

Northern Ariz.

9/3/2021 9:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Larson, Schimmer, Iranshad score goals in front of raucous road crowd

By: Josh Hauser

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The Grand Canyon women's soccer team held Northern Arizona scoreless and ran away with a 3-0 road victory on Friday night.

GCU improved to 4-1 on the season with the win, its fourth shutout of the season. The Lopes posted the dominant victory in front of a crowd of 2,034 fans, the sixth-largest in NAU program history.

"What a great performance tonight by the girls," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "I couldn't be more proud of our soccer family. We come here to Flagstaff to play them on their home opener in their stadium. They had an incredible crowd, a very loud crowd that we had to battle against. We just played some really great soccer."

GCU continues its best start in the Division I history of the program.

The Lopes opened the scoring when fifth-year forward Camryn Larson notched her first goal of the season in the 58th minute, assisted by fifth-year midfielder Mikaela McGee.

GCU tacked on another score on a successful penalty kick by senior forward Marleen Schimmer — her second goal of the season — in the 75th minute.

The Lopes added a late insurance score, extending their lead to 3-0 on junior midfielder Jaycee Iranshad's 84th-minute goal, her second of the season. Larson assisted the goal.

"We scored three great goals," Cissell said. "To come on the road and get the shutout against a really good team and an in-state rival like this just feels great. I'm really proud of the team."

Sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Ferguson collected four saves for the Lopes out of nine Lumberjacks shots. GCU put eight shots on goal and outshot NAU 18-9.

"I'm just really proud of the team," Cissell said. "Now we have to turn the focus to hosting a really good UNLV team on Sunday at 1. The goal has to be recovery. But at the same time, I really hope the girls enjoy this tonight because they deserve it. They worked so hard for this result tonight. I couldn't be more proud."