GCU suffers close loss to Utah Valley

Sunday, October 2

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-5-1, 0-3-0

Utah Valley

7-2-3, 3-0-1

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

10/2/2022 9:44:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Gourley scores 7th goal before late goal decides 2-1 defeat

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon women's soccer team suffered a second straight close loss, falling 2-1 to Utah Valley at GCU Stadium on Sunday night.

The Lopes (4-5-1, 0-3 WAC) and Wolverines (7-2-3, 3-0-1) were tied at 1-1, but a rebound shot in the 88th minute by UVU's Julianna Carter was the difference despite a great save from GCU goalkeeper Shantel Hutton on the preceding shot.

In this homestand, a pair of late goals scored by Utah Valley on Sunday and Seattle U on Friday (in the 82nd minute) cost GCU at least a pair of draws and a chance at their first WAC points of the season.

In a rematch of the 2021 WAC Tournament title game, the Lopes were able to strike first in the 17th minute off a counter attack that was started by sophomore midfielder Brenna Alderson. The Gilbert, Arizona, native found a streaking Bekah Valdez with a long pass down the right side and. The junior forward cut into the box and passed to WAC leading scorer Gianna Gourley, the junior forward who collected her seventh goal of the season with a shot between the legs of the UVU goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead.

After Utah Valley fired four shots in the first five minutes of play, all saved by Hutton, the Lopes were able to maintain most of the possession and outshot the Wolverines 7-4 in the first half. The counter-attacking play was prevalent throughout the period and substitutes like sophomore midfielder Ani Jensen and junior forward Lindsey Prokop kept up the pressure into halftime.

However, quickly after the second half started, Utah Valley scored the equalizer thanks to their hottest player, Faith Weber. The sophomore transfer's goal against GCU in the 53rd minute followed a second-half hat trick against California Baptist on Friday.

Tied at 1-1, the Lopes continued to push offensively and had a great chance to regain the lead but an offside call on Prokop took away a one-on-one scoring chance against the goalie in the 65th minute. In the second half, GCU took five shots with none coming on goal.

The game-winning goal for the Wolverines was scored in the 88th minute after Hutton saved a long-distance shot from UVU's Hannah Lee, but Carter snuck behind the GCU back line and immediately redirected the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

Hutton finished with six saves and Gourley paced the GCU offense with five shots, including two on goal.

The Lopes will look to rebound during the upcoming road trip at UT Rio Grande Valley on Friday and Stephen F. Austin on next Sunday.