Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus UC Irvine on August 14, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 4
W Soccer
vs UC Irvine
L 1-4
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, October 11
Cedar City, Utah
3 p.m.
Grand Canyon
10-4-1, 4-0-0
3
at
1
Southern Utah
2-8-4, 0-3-1
1
2
F
Grand Canyon
3
0
3
Southern Utah
0
1
1
Photo by: Nathan Peters
Lopes dominate 1st half, grab 4th straight win
10/11/2024 7:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GCU gets goal from Loera for its season's 15th different scorer
CEDAR CITY, Utah – Grand Canyon left no doubt Friday in Cedar City with a 3-1 victory over Southern Utah.
GCU (10-4-1, 4-0 WAC) won its fourth consecutive match for its longest win streak of the year and took a half-game lead atop the WAC standings over Utah Valley, which hosts Abilene Christian on Saturday. The Lopes program reached 10 wins in a season for the fourth straight season under fifth-year head coach Chris Cissell and staff.
"Our team is showing that they are road warriors," Cissell said. "We came into this match pretty banged up, so to be able to come on the road and hold onto a nice victory is huge for us."
With some GCU players on limited minutes or not traveling for the match, freshman defender Samantha Amato and junior forward Anahi Cardinal made their first career starts at Southern Utah (2-8-4, 0-3-1 WAC).
The Lopes did not wait long to assert themselves, pushing the pace within the first minute. GCU junior midfielder AJ Loera attacked the Thunderbirds defense, dribbling towards the box when she was fouled. Banged up, she conceded the free kick just a foot behind the penalty area to senior midfielder Bella Piete.
Piete fired a shot into the defensive wall that deflected straight to Loera, who immediately fired back toward goal and, with help from a Southern Utah deflection, the ball crept past the goalkeeper for Loera's second score of the season and a 1-0 lead.
The celebration after the goal was noteworthy, with senior defender Destinee Duran-Wise "bumping" an imaginary volleyball to junior forward Hannah Smith, who "set" it to Loera for the "kill". The celebratory move was done in front of a special section of GCU fans, the Lopes women's volleyball team that won Thursday night at Utah Tech and plays Saturday at Southern Utah.
"Thank you to the women's volleyball staff and players," Cissell said. "Your support was appreciated and helped us come out playing well in that first half."
Piete received another opportunity in the 29th minute and took advantage of it. Lopes senior midfielder Brenna Alderson found a cutting Piete in the box and, after a recovery dribble, Piete placed a shot into the bottom-right quadrant of the net. The goal put GCU ahead 2-0 and moved Piete into a tie for most goals (three) and points (eight) on the team this season.
"That second goal was a great combination play," Cissell said. "Brenna made a great pass, per usual, and Bella had phenomenal placement on the score."
Less than two minutes later, Piete was involved on yet another score. A streaking Payton Fisher received an accurate through ball down the right side from Piete. The junior forward, despite the awkward angle, managed to sneak the ball inside the near post for the Lopes' third goal of the half.
Payton scored her first goal of the season and fourth of her career. Fisher is the 15th different player to score a goal for GCU this season, a growing program record.
The Lopes scored multiple times in the first half for just the second time all season and three goals in a half for the first time this season.
The second half saw a Southern Utah goal in the 67th minute and a much less attack-heavy approach from GCU. However, it made for a busier afternoon for Lopes senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson. Jackson made many incredible saves throughout the match, most notably with a pair of diving saves in the 19th and 21st minutes to keep the Thunderbirds at bay.
Jackson finished with six saves, her highest total since the team's win at Nevada on Sept. 15.
GCU will get six days of rest before heading back on the road to Seattle U (7-2-4, 2-0-1 WAC) on Thursday. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
GCU (10-4-1, 4-0 WAC) won its fourth consecutive match for its longest win streak of the year and took a half-game lead atop the WAC standings over Utah Valley, which hosts Abilene Christian on Saturday. The Lopes program reached 10 wins in a season for the fourth straight season under fifth-year head coach Chris Cissell and staff.
"Our team is showing that they are road warriors," Cissell said. "We came into this match pretty banged up, so to be able to come on the road and hold onto a nice victory is huge for us."
With some GCU players on limited minutes or not traveling for the match, freshman defender Samantha Amato and junior forward Anahi Cardinal made their first career starts at Southern Utah (2-8-4, 0-3-1 WAC).
The Lopes did not wait long to assert themselves, pushing the pace within the first minute. GCU junior midfielder AJ Loera attacked the Thunderbirds defense, dribbling towards the box when she was fouled. Banged up, she conceded the free kick just a foot behind the penalty area to senior midfielder Bella Piete.
Piete fired a shot into the defensive wall that deflected straight to Loera, who immediately fired back toward goal and, with help from a Southern Utah deflection, the ball crept past the goalkeeper for Loera's second score of the season and a 1-0 lead.
The celebration after the goal was noteworthy, with senior defender Destinee Duran-Wise "bumping" an imaginary volleyball to junior forward Hannah Smith, who "set" it to Loera for the "kill". The celebratory move was done in front of a special section of GCU fans, the Lopes women's volleyball team that won Thursday night at Utah Tech and plays Saturday at Southern Utah.
"Thank you to the women's volleyball staff and players," Cissell said. "Your support was appreciated and helped us come out playing well in that first half."
Piete received another opportunity in the 29th minute and took advantage of it. Lopes senior midfielder Brenna Alderson found a cutting Piete in the box and, after a recovery dribble, Piete placed a shot into the bottom-right quadrant of the net. The goal put GCU ahead 2-0 and moved Piete into a tie for most goals (three) and points (eight) on the team this season.
"That second goal was a great combination play," Cissell said. "Brenna made a great pass, per usual, and Bella had phenomenal placement on the score."
Less than two minutes later, Piete was involved on yet another score. A streaking Payton Fisher received an accurate through ball down the right side from Piete. The junior forward, despite the awkward angle, managed to sneak the ball inside the near post for the Lopes' third goal of the half.
Payton scored her first goal of the season and fourth of her career. Fisher is the 15th different player to score a goal for GCU this season, a growing program record.
The Lopes scored multiple times in the first half for just the second time all season and three goals in a half for the first time this season.
The second half saw a Southern Utah goal in the 67th minute and a much less attack-heavy approach from GCU. However, it made for a busier afternoon for Lopes senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson. Jackson made many incredible saves throughout the match, most notably with a pair of diving saves in the 19th and 21st minutes to keep the Thunderbirds at bay.
Jackson finished with six saves, her highest total since the team's win at Nevada on Sept. 15.
GCU will get six days of rest before heading back on the road to Seattle U (7-2-4, 2-0-1 WAC) on Thursday. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
1' | Loera earns a free kick and scores off a deflection!
— GCU Women's Soccer (@GCU_WSoccer) October 11, 2024
1-0 GCU early!
Shoutout to @gcu_wvolleyball with the celly! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/bWCVFaPG5z
29' | Piete joins in on the action! GCU leads 2-0! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/rDenKWlThc
— GCU Women's Soccer (@GCU_WSoccer) October 11, 2024
31' | "The Lopes are pouring it on!"
— GCU Women's Soccer (@GCU_WSoccer) October 11, 2024
Payton Fisher scores her first goal of 2024! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/sqwkrxLk0b
Team Stats
GCU
SUU
Goals
3
1
Shots
11
11
Shots on Goal
4
7
Saves
6
1
Corners
2
10
Fouls
8
4
Scoring Plays
AJ Loera (2)
GOAL by GCU Loera, AJ.
00:39
Bella Piete (3)
Assisted By: Brenna Alderson
GOAL by GCU Piete, Bella Assist by Alderson, Brenna.
28:46
Payton Fisher (1)
Assisted By: Bella Piete
GOAL by GCU Fisher, Payton Assist by Piete, Bella.
30:16
Aubrey Murray (1)
Assisted By: Hailey Hamataka
GOAL by SUU Murray, Aubrey Assist by Hamataka, Hailey.
66:13
Game Leaders
Players
mid
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerM
/ Women's Soccer
F
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