Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus CSUN on September 26, 2025 , Win , 2, to, 0
M Soccer
vs CSUN
W 2-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, October 17
St. George, Utah
6 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Grand Canyon
5-6-2, 2-2-0
0
at
1
Utah Tech
2-8-3, 1-3-1
1
2
F
Grand Canyon
0
0
0
Utah Tech
0
1
1
Lopes fall in St. George on 86th-minute goal
10/17/2024 8:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Trailblazers score off long goal kick; GCU moves to 2-2 in WAC play
ST. GEORGE, Utah – The Grand Canyon men's soccer team fell 1-0 Thursday night to Utah Tech, whose 86th-minute goal was he difference in a defensive battle at Greater Zion Stadium.
GCU (5-6-2, 2-2 WAC) and Utah Tech (2-8-3, 1-3-1 WAC) recorded two shots apiece in the first half, with Lopes senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt notching one save on the night. GCU's best first-half look came late in the 43rd minute as junior forward Nelson Gomez Rodriguez sent a ball from atop the box on goal, but Trailblazers goalkeeper Stockton Short made a diving, one-handed save to push it above the bar and out of play.
Both teams ramped up the offense in the second half with six shots each, five of which came via GCU junior forward Bright Nutornutsi. His 56th-minute attempt from 15 yards out missed by inches, just sailing past the right post after taking a shot in stride on a breakaway.
Nutornutsi again had two solid looks on frame, both of which came in a 30-second span in the 79th minute. His first attempt missed left after coming off a cross from right to left from graduate midfielder Lalo Serrano. His second chance missed the net after gathering a volley off his chest.
Short sent a ball downfield for Utah Tech off a goalie kick and, with the high bounce off the turf field, it landed in the defensive third of GCU's backline. Daichi Saito gathered and finished for the score in the 86th minute.
"During the match, I was really pleased with our approach in terms of our defending and our ability to create really good looks," Lopes head coach George Kiefer said. "I was disappointed in how the game ended but told the guys they did enough to win it, but it just didn't go our way tonight."
Three of GCU's shots were on target, with Nutornutsi totaling five shots for the contest. The match saw two corner kicks combined from the squads.
GCU stays on the road and heads to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Sunday at 8 p.m.
GCU (5-6-2, 2-2 WAC) and Utah Tech (2-8-3, 1-3-1 WAC) recorded two shots apiece in the first half, with Lopes senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt notching one save on the night. GCU's best first-half look came late in the 43rd minute as junior forward Nelson Gomez Rodriguez sent a ball from atop the box on goal, but Trailblazers goalkeeper Stockton Short made a diving, one-handed save to push it above the bar and out of play.
Both teams ramped up the offense in the second half with six shots each, five of which came via GCU junior forward Bright Nutornutsi. His 56th-minute attempt from 15 yards out missed by inches, just sailing past the right post after taking a shot in stride on a breakaway.
Nutornutsi again had two solid looks on frame, both of which came in a 30-second span in the 79th minute. His first attempt missed left after coming off a cross from right to left from graduate midfielder Lalo Serrano. His second chance missed the net after gathering a volley off his chest.
Short sent a ball downfield for Utah Tech off a goalie kick and, with the high bounce off the turf field, it landed in the defensive third of GCU's backline. Daichi Saito gathered and finished for the score in the 86th minute.
"During the match, I was really pleased with our approach in terms of our defending and our ability to create really good looks," Lopes head coach George Kiefer said. "I was disappointed in how the game ended but told the guys they did enough to win it, but it just didn't go our way tonight."
Three of GCU's shots were on target, with Nutornutsi totaling five shots for the contest. The match saw two corner kicks combined from the squads.
GCU stays on the road and heads to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Sunday at 8 p.m.
Team Stats
GCU
UT
Goals
0
1
Shots
8
8
Shots on Goal
3
2
Saves
1
3
Corners
1
1
Fouls
19
7
Scoring Plays
Daichi Saito (1)
Assisted By: Sami Cuevas , Stockton Short
GOAL by UT Saito, Daichi Assist by Cuevas, Sami and Short, Stockton.
85:18
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
mid
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
M
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