Season ends with 2-2 tie at Utah Valley

Monday, October 30

Orem, Utah

5 p.m. (Phoenix time)

Grand Canyon

7-7-3, 2-4-2

Utah Valley

3-6-7, 2-2-4

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

10/30/2023 7:14:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

GCU finishes in 7th place to miss WAC Tournament after 7-7-3 season

By: Paul Coro

OREM, Utah – The Grand Canyon men's soccer team tied the game twice Monday night in a fight to extend its season, but the 2-2 final at Utah Valley left the Lopes out of the WAC Tournament.

On a night with 40-degree, windy weather and a GCU starting lineup with five freshmen and a goalkeeper's starting debut, the Lopes created an exciting finish by tying the game at 2-2 with 19 minutes and 20 seconds remaining.

But the Lopes were able to take only one more shot to finish the season at 7-7-3, making them one of four WAC teams at .500 or better overall after GCU went 7-8-3 last season. Utah Valley (3-7-7, 2-2-4 WAC) secured the final spot in the WAC Tournament with 10 standings points, two more than the Lopes.

"I'm very proud of the fight and effort tonight," GCU head coach Mike Kraus said. "We ultimately fell short of our season's goals, but they fought until the end. With our young squad, we still believe the future is bright."

After six consecutive matches in the series decided by a goal, GCU and Utah Valley stayed within a goal of each other for all of Monday night's regular-season finale at Clyde Field. The Wolverines led 1-0 at halftime and 2-1 in the second half before two Lopes second-half goal tied the match twice.

GCU was outshot 9-2 in the first half and did not take its first shot until the 24th minute. The Lopes fell behind 1-0 in the 15th minute, when GCU broke up a long pass before Utah Valley sophomore forward Owen Knecht gathered the deflection and set up junior midfielder Alejandro Silva's goal from outside the 18-yard box.

The Lopes used 19 players Monday night, with senior forward Gabin Barreau and freshman defender Diego Veliz making their second starts of the season and freshman midfielder Cezar Onut getting his third start.

After not having a shot on goal in the first half, GCU struck quickly in the second half with a 1-1 equalizer in the 48th minute.

The Wolverines made a backfield turnover that Lopes freshman forward Solo Bidanessy intercepted at full speed before firing a left-footer from outside the box to the left side of the net for the tie.

Utah Valley, which lost once at home this season, took the lead back in the 64th minute after GCU sophomore goalkeeper Cole Kulhanek knocked a shot wide to set up a corner kick. With 11 minutes of previous action this season, Kulhanek was starting in goal in place of junior Leon Schmidt, who ranks 16th in the nation for save percentage (80%).

The Lopes knocked the corner kick out of the box, but Wolverines junior defender Nik Kizerian scored his first career goal when he sent the carom back through box traffic and into the right side of the net for a 2-1 Utah Valley lead.

The edge was short-lived this time with GCU tying the game again within seven minutes. Bidanessy set up junior defender Clayton Duarte racing down the left side, where he fed Lopes sophomore forward Zion Long at the left edge of the 18-yard box.

Long beat three defenders on his way to a tying goal. First, he went between the legs of a Wolverine to beat him along the goal line and then the Olathe, Kansas, native weaved through two more Utah Valley defenders to reach the goal box and score between the goalkeeper's legs.

71'| GOOAALL!! @Zion_w_Long does it all by himself and we're tied once again! #LopesUp

GCU 2, UVU 2 pic.twitter.com/lQGIaKbjmu
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) October 31, 2023

GCU did not have another shot on goal in the match besides its two scores, as Utah Valley outshot the Lopes 19-5.

The loss closed the careers of GCU senior defender Sam Lossou, one of eight players to log more than 1,000 minutes this season, and graduate forward Lucas Fecci, who received his sixth start Monday night. Freshman midfielder Jorge Lopez ended the season as the only Lopes player to start every game this season.

The season included several high points that put GCU in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index's top 25 at times. The Lopes won 2-1 at Creighton on Sept. 1, beat No. 22 San Diego 1-0 at home on Sept. 6, tied 1-1 at No. 2 SMU on Sept. 27 and tied No. 17 Seattle U at home on Oct. 5. GCU went 6-1-1 at home but was 1-6-2 on the road.