Shutout begins WAC Tournament run

Wednesday, November 2

Seattle, Wash.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

11-6-2, 6-4-1

Utah Tech

10-7-2, 6-3-2

Grand Canyon

Utah Tech

Photo by: WAC

11/2/2022 11:07:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Lopes play complete game in 3-0 win, advance to semifinal vs. UVU

By: Jerob Moon

SEATTLE – The Grand Canyon women's soccer team put on a show in the opening round of the WAC Tournament with a 3-0 win over No. 4 seed Utah Tech at Championship Field on Wednesday night.

The Lopes (11-6-2) had two long-shot goals by midfielders Leah Pirro and Ani Jensen in the first half and junior forward Gianna Gourley provided the exclamation point with her 28th career goal, setting a new program record. The Lopes advance to a Friday semifinal against top seed Utah Valley at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) in Seattle.

"I thought our girls played really well right from the get-go," said GCU head coach Chris Cissell, whose team has won seven of its past eight games with a 26-5 scoring margin. "Utah Tech is a great team and I thought Molly (Rouse) has done a phenonemal job since she's been there. I had a lot of confidence coming into the match. We have been playing really well and have been in good form."

GCU dominated possession and was able to put early challenges on the Trailblazers (10-7-2), the best defensive team in the WAC with 14 goals yielded this season (four to the Lopes). Gourley, in the sixth minute, and junior forward Jaycee Iranshad, in the 11th minute, nearly put the Lopes on the board first but diving saves from Utah Tech goalkeeper Brianna Frey kept the game scoreless.

Pirro, a redshirt freshman, was the one to break through in the 31st minute with a low, left-footed shot for GCU's first goal of the postseason. A great run by junior forward Bekah Valdez on the right side of the field allowed Pirro to get open at the top of the box, where she curled her low shot into bottom left corner to give the Lopes a 1-0 lead.

Pirro's goal may have been topped by a 25-yard strike by Jensen in the 39th minute. Jensen, a sophomore, came off the bench in the 30th minute and was open in space after Gourley and junior midfielder Magdalena Schwarz worked the ball up the left side. Jensen took the pass from Schwarz and then fired a high-arching, left-footed shot over the keeper's arms and into the back of the net.

Up 2-0 heading into the second half, the Lopes were able to play more defensively and allow substitutes to get substantial playing time. GCU and graduate goalkeeper Shantel Hutton shut down the Trailblazers attack, allowing just five shots with Hutton making an important save in the 69th minute.

"The key to our success has been our depth and the opportunity to bring good players off the bench," Cissell added. "I thought everybody off the bench was really good."

Gourley provided the exclamation point on the win with a goal in the 80th minute. The two-time All-WAC first-team honoree received a pass in the box after sophomore defender Destinee Duran-Wise made a long run from the back line, and buried into the net.

Gourley's 18th goal put her in a tie for the second most goals scored in the nation this season and is one behind the national lead of Quinnipiac's Rebecca Cooke.

It also marked her 28th goal in a Lopes uniform, setting a new program record, and a new single-season points record (42) and career points record (66).

With the win, No. 5 seed GCU advanced to the WAC semifinals to take on regular-season champion Utah Valley. The Wolverines are looking for revenge from last year's championship match, which the Lopes won 3-0. Utah Valley had the upper hand this season, winning 2-1 on Oct. 2 in the last game before GCU began this 7-1 stretch.

The match will kick off at 7 p.m. from Championship Field in Seattle.