Lopes blow out Texans 6-1

Sunday, October 16

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Tarleton

10/16/2022 4:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU continues offensive showcase with 6 goals

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team wrapped up the weekend with a 6-1 blowout win over Tarleton at GCU Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Lopes (7-5-2, 3-3-1 WAC) finished the homestand with 10 goals and two important wins, as they look to climb back into the top six of the WAC standings. GCU junior forward Gianna Gourley dazzled again with a pair of first-half goals to bring her season total to 11. Gourley is tied for 10th nationally for the most goals in the nation this season.

"That was a fun game," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "I'm proud of the girls scoring six goals, but what I'm most proud of is the assists on all six goals were fantastic. It just shows our team-first mentality."

After scoring just two goals in the first five WAC matches, the Lopes scored 10 this weekend while adding 33 points on 51 shots. Defensively, the Lopes were just as impressive in holding Abilene Christian and Tarleton (4-7-3, 0-5-2 WAC) to just 15 shots combined with three on goal.

Eight players recorded a point for GCU while six players scored a goal, including Gourley's three goals, three assists and nine points in the two matches.

"It's no secret to anyone that we've struggled to put the ball in the back of the net," Cissell added. "We've been playing some great soccer and just haven't been finishing. So this weekend, to score 10 goals feels really good."

Just like on Friday, Gourley got the scoring started Sunday with a goal in the 16th minute. Junior forward Lindsey Prokop had a long run on the right side of the field and cut into the box before passing the ball to Gourley, who finished with a quick right-footed shot. Prokop was rewarded with a goal of her own just four minutes later off a similar run and pass on the left side by junior forward Bekah Valdez.

Up 2-0, the Lopes and Gourley added a third goal in the 25th minute. The junior forward took a pass from freshman midfielder AJ Loera and curled the right-footed shot inside the right post for her 11th goal of the season.

In the second half, Valdez and sophomore midfielder Brenna Alderson were able to score tap-in goals off saves by the Tarleton goalkeeper, making it 4-0. It was part of a dominant second half by the Lopes, who recorded 21 of their 31 shots and 11 of their season-high 18 shots on goal.

The game was capped off by freshman defender Payton Fisher scoring her first collegiate goal in the 86th minute.

The Lopes will take their three-game winning streak to the final regular-season road trip, starting with first-place Utah Tech on Friday and Southern Utah next Sunday.