GCU returns home for 2 weekend WAC games

Friday, October 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

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Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

10/6/2022 6:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Game Notes

Lopes host Utah Valley on Friday, California Baptist on Sunday

By: Nick Macdonald


Grand Canyon Lopes (3-5-2, 0-1-1 WAC)	vs.	Utah Valley Wolverines (2-3-1, 0-0 WAC)	California Baptist Lancers (4-3-1, 0-0 WAC)
		Friday, Oct. 7 7 p.m.	Sunday, Oct. 9 6 p.m.
Game Notes		Watch Live Stats	Watch Live Stats

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team returns home to host WAC opponents Utah Valley and California Baptist for two games in three days beginning Friday night.

AT A GLANCE

GCU is seeking its first conference win of the season after going 0-1-1 in its first two WAC games last weekend. The Lopes are tied for sixth out of 10 teams with one point in the standings.
The Lopes enter the weekend as the No. 2 team in the WAC in goals (14) and assists (13) and shot accuracy (.467).
Senior forward Shaun Joash leads the team with 11 points this season on four goals and three assists. He has scored a goal in two of his past three games.

LOPES LOOK TO REBOUND AT HOME

GCU enters the weekend tied for sixth in the conference after a 0-1-1 showing on the WAC opening weekend at Utah Tech and UNLV.
The top six teams make the WAC Tournament this season. GCU is the back-to-back regular-season champion of the conference and narrowly fell in penalty kicks in last year's tournament final.
The Lopes are 9-0 in WAC regular-season home games since the 2020 season. Their last conference regular-season home loss came Nov. 9, 2019, versus UNLV.

JOASH AMONG WAC LEADERS

Joash, the WAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, is in the top five in multiple categories in the conference.
He is third in points (11) and goals (4) and fifth in assists (3) and goals per game (0.40).

OFFENSE FINDING ITS RHYTHM

GCU's offense ranks in the top three in multiple categories in the WAC heading into the thick of conference play.
The Lopes scored six goals as a team in their first five games and have scored eight in the past five. Among other WAC schools, GCU ranks second in goals (14), assists (11) and shot accuracy (.467) and third in points per game (4.10), assists per game (1.30) and goals per game (1.40).

SCOUTING REPORT

Utah Valley enters its WAC opener with a record of 2-3-1.
The Wolverines have not played a game since Sept. 16.
Utah Valley opened the season at home with a 2-0 victory over UC Riverside on Aug. 25. Since then, it has played five games on the road with two more this weekend at GCU and Air Force. The Wolverines' next scheduled home game is Oct. 13.
Mark Andros leads the offense with three goals while goalkeeper Jason Smith has 23 saves and three shutouts this season.
California Baptist enters Sunday at 4-3-1 with a Friday match at Air Force before its journey to Phoenix. The Air Force contest is the Lancers' first WAC match of the season.
CBU is 0-3 on the road this season while holding a 4-0-1 home record.
Bryan Iliohan leads the team in points with eight (2 goals, 4 assists). Nolan Premack is 4-2-1 in goal with two shutouts and 22 saves.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU rests for 12 days until its next competition at Houston Christian on Oct. 21.
The Lopes have three straight road games before returning home for two straight game to close out the regular season on Oct. 30 and Nov. 5.