Late-match magic propels Lopes to 5-0 in WAC

Thursday, October 17

Seattle, Wash.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

11-4-1, 5-0-0

Seattle U

8-3-4, 3-1-1

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

10/17/2024 11:23:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Jackson ties multiple GCU D-I era records in win at Seattle U

By: Braden Dohrmann

SEATTLE — Grand Canyon needed some late-match "Mayu Magic" to escape Seattle U with its fifth straight conference win Thursday night.

GCU (11-4-1, 5-0 WAC) entered Thursday a half-game ahead of Seattle U in the conference race, setting the stage for a match that held large implications for the final standings and WAC Tournament seeding. The Lopes escaped the thriller with their fifth 1-0 victory of the season to remain tied for first place with Utah Valley, their next opponent.

The Lopes had never won consecutive games to open WAC play until this season, when they have allowed only three goals over a 5-0 conference start.

The teams played a gritty, physical match Thursday night – a real defensive battle that played to GCU's favor. A seventh shutout was earned for senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson and the Lopes' accomplished back line of defense. Jackson tied her season high from last year and matched GCU Division I-era records for saves in a season and a career.

Jackson's 14th career shutout tied Blakely Fraasch, a four-year starter who played in 73 games for the Lopes from 2014 to 2017. In just her second GCU season, Jackson tied the mark in her 39th Lopes match with two regular-season matches to go..

Only five shots were put on goal between both teams. Jackson recorded two saves but added many game-deciding plays throughout the match to keep the Redhawks at nil.

Seattle U (8-3-4, 3-1-1 WAC) had only dropped two conference matches at home since 2019. Both of those defeats also came to GCU, which last won at the Redhawks' Championship Field on Oct. 15, 2021.

"That was a very gritty performance on the road," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "We have a lot of respect for Seattle and their program. They are very good and especially tough to beat on the road."

It was a tale of two halves, as GCU did not manage a shot on goal in the first 45 minutes. In the second half, the Lopes put three on frame and dominated the possession game.

GCU senior forward Mayu Yamamoto played 29 minutes and took one shot on the night. That one shot made her the hero.

In the 75th minute, Lopes senior Alex Sampson pushed toward the penalty box and turned, dropping the ball off to Yamamoto. The Japan native made a quick burst, taking three dribbles around the Seattle U defender before ripping a far-post banger into the back of the net.

YAMAMOTO BREAKS THE SILENCE IN SEATTLE!! #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/TfvpLnwvya
— GCU Women's Soccer (@GCU_WSoccer) October 18, 2024

From Yamamoto's angle, she may not have scored if she hadn't placed it exactly where she did — just inside the far post, past the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper.

"We got an absolutely beautiful goal from Mayu," Cissell said of her second goal of the season. "It was a great goal and a superb strike. We needed it and she stepped up."

For the final 15 minutes, the Lopes went into prevent mode and fended off any late Seattle U attacks, giving GCU its fifth WAC win and extending its season-best win streak to five matches.

"We were excited about the adjustments we made in the second half," Cissell said. "Our entire team defended and overall played at a really high level in that second 45."

Six players played all 90 minutes in the match, as the coaching staff stuck with their standouts. Jackson was joined by the back line of senior Sidney Roberts, senior Destinee Duran-Wise and junior Jayden Sanders for the entirety of the match. Junior midfielder AJ Loera and graduate forward Alex Sampson also played the entire match.

Cissell earned his 444th career win across men's and women's college soccer, a number that means a lot to him and his family.

"As a St. Louis kid with a family, especially my late father that had a crazy St. Louis accent, I have always loved to say 'far' instead of 'four,' " Cissell said. "'Far farty far' wins means I have been coaching for quite a while now."

GCU faces its biggest test yet in conference play when it heads to Orem, Utah, to face WAC co-leader Utah Valley on Monday. The WAC regular-season championship and WAC Tournament No. 1 seed is on the line at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time). The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.