HOUSTON – The Grand Canyon men's soccer team totaled 21 shots, 12 shots on goal and a season-high five goals during a back-and-forth battle at Houston Christian, winning 5-3 on Friday night to move into fourth place in the WAC.
The five goals scored marked a GCU record in the Division I era for most goals scored in a road contest. The 21 shots and 12 shots on goal were season bests.
GCU (5-5-3, 2-1-2 WAC) saw two of its first three shots saved by Houston Christian (5-6-5, 1-3-3 WAC) as the offense came out firing early. The Huskies were the first to score, finding the back of the net in the 13th minute. The Lopes entered Friday 1-5 when the opponent scored first.
Lopes sophomore midfielder
Innocent Jibril Rodet evened the match at 1-1 with a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. The goal was Rodet's second of the season and second in the last three games. Houston Christian regained the lead a little over a minute later, going ahead 2-1 midway through the first half.
Prior to halftime, GCU senior forward
Shaun Joash passed to classmate
Charles Noyelle's left foot at the top left corner of the box. Noyelle struck a left foot shot on net and connected high for his first career goal, tying the match at 2-2 before halftime.
Joash, who entered the match with a goal in each of his last two games, gave the Lopes the lead in the 58th minute. Forty-nine seconds later, Houston Christian charged down the field and scored to tie the match again at 3-3. Both teams had yet to score three goals in a WAC match this season prior to the match.
Joash once again gave GCU the advantage in the 78th minute. The forward received a pass from right to left, outstretched his right foot toward the ball and scored with his back nearly on the ground. The goal was his seventh of the season, which ties for third most in the conference.
The Lopes added an insurance goal in the 85th minute, when sophomore midfielder
Kaden Cameron scored on a fastbreak pass from freshman midfielder
Ben Augee. The Lopes' three second-half goals were a season best.
GCU is back in action Sunday as it takes on fifth-place UT Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. Kick-off is set for 10 a.m. (Phoenix time).