Lopes drop road contest to CSU Bakersfield

Thursday, September 1

Bakersfield, Calif.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-2-0, 0-0-0

CSU Bakersfield

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Grand Canyon

CSU Bakersfield

9/1/2022 9:55:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Joash scores 2nd goal of season in 2-1 loss to Roadrunners

By: Nick Macdonald

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Grand Canyon men's soccer team compiled a late offensive surge with six shots and a goal in the final 10 minutes of play but ultimately fell 2-1 it its first road contest of the season at CSU Bakersfield on Thursday night.

GCU (1-2) attacked the opposing 18-yard box early, forcing two corner kicks and holding most of the possession through the first 10 minutes. Senior midfielder Charles Noyelle nearly gave the Lopes the lead as an on-the-run right foot attempt whizzed by the right post, inches from trickling into the net.

CSU Bakersfield (1-2) scored the first goal on its first shot in the 19th minute. Thirty seconds later, the Roadrunners nearly made it 2-0, but a shot on goal was saved by senior goalkeeper Anthony Muñoz to keep it a 1-0 game. CSU Bakersfield limited the Lopes in shots for the rest of the first half and went into halftime with a one-goal lead.

The Roadrunners scored their second goal of the match eight minutes into the second half and the Lopes had a two-goal deficit for the first time this season. CSU Bakersfield shifted to a defensive stance and the Lopes started to rattle off shots later in the second half, with one finding the back of the net in the 80th minute from senior forward Shaun Joash off the rebound of a saved shot from GCU freshman Zion Long.

The goal was Joash's second of the season and his 12th as a Lope dating back to last year.

GCU's offense ramped up in the final 10 minutes of play as Roadrunner goalkeeper Filippo Dadone saved two of the Lopes' six shots. The Lopes had a long throw-in with 15 seconds left as a final attempt, but the ball was ultimately cleared with five seconds to go.

GCU lost back-to-back matches for the first time since the 2020-21 season, when it fell to Air Force in the WAC Championship title game on April 17, 2021, and Washington in the NCAA tournament's first round on May 2, 2021.

The Lopes outshot the Roadrunners 13-7 with an 11-4 advantage in the second half. GCU also finished with 10 corner kicks to CSU Bakersfield's two.

The Lopes stay in the Golden State and travel to Los Angeles, where they will take on No. 4 UCLA on Monday at 7 p.m. Live coverage can be found on the Pac-12 Network.