Gourley's 8th goal delivers 1st WAC win

Sunday, October 9

Nacogdoches, Texas

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

5-5-2, 1-3-1

Stephen F. Austin

4-8-1, 3-3-0

Grand Canyon

SFA

10/9/2022 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Lopes outshoot opponents 53-9 on 1-0-1 road trip in Texas

By: GCU Athletics

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Grand Canyon women's soccer team got back in the win column and evened its overall record to .500 on Sunday with a 1-0 win at Stephen F. Austin.

After a 30-2 shot advantage in Friday's scoreless draw at UT Rio Grande Valley, the Lopes (5-5-2, 1-3-1 WAC) dominated shots 23-7 and possession on Sunday. The difference this time came when GCU found the back of the net at Stephen F. Austin (4-8-1, 3-3 WAC) with junior forward Gianna Gourley's 12th-minute strike proving to be the game-winner.

"We went on the road and got four points with two shutouts and one shot on goal allowed in 180 minutes," said Lopes head coach Chris Cissell, whose next win will be his 300th victory a collegiate women's soccer coach. "We're playing well. We're creating chances. We're just not finishing our chances. I'd be way more concerned if we weren't getting chances. Hopefully, today was the start of a long winning streak in the WAC and we can go into the WAC Tournament with a lot of momentum."

Gourley entered the national top 40 for goals scored when she connected on her WAC-leading eighth goal on one of her team-high six shots. Off a throw-in, Lopes freshman midfielder AJ Loera dribbled through four Lumberjacks defenders, reached the top right of the 18-yard box and passed left to Gourley. From 15 yards, Gourley's one-touch shot whizzed left of goalkeeper Lydia Sattler, who is second in the WAC for saves.

GCU finished the two-game road trip at 1-0-1 with two shutouts and 10 hours of travel in between stops. The Lopes outshot their opponents 53-9 with only one shot on goal allowed.

Stephen F. Austin, which had a three-game winning streak, did not take its only shot on goal of the match until the 54th minute. The Lopes were aggressive from the first whistle, finding their way into the offensive third almost immediately. They led 15-3 in shots after carrying over their ball-control dominance by taking the first five shots of the second half.

GCU also nearly added to the lead with quality shots on sophomore midfielder Brenna Alderson and Loera, who stepped up on a loose ball and drilled a shot at the goalkeeper from 20 yards away.

Stephen F. Austin's best threat to tie came in the final minute with only its third corner kick of the match. GCU broke up the threat in the box, where the Lumberjacks also fouled to help wind down the final seconds.

The Lopes enjoyed a successful nonconference portion of their schedule but had struggled to kick into gear in conference play. GCU snapped a five-match winless streak in recording its first WAC victory on Sunday against a Lumberjacks team that entered the match with winning home and conference records.

"I keep telling the girls, 'It's how we finish, not how we start,' " Cissell said. "It's crazy to get one goal with all the chances we had this weekend. But it is good for the defensive unit to get two shutouts on the road and only allow one shot on goal."

GCU, now 3-1-2 on the road this season, continues its Texas-themed portion of the schedule with games against Abilene Christian and Tarleton back in Phoenix on Friday and Sunday.