Lopes drop home contest to California Baptist

Thursday, October 24

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-7-3, 2-3-1

California Baptist

4-5-5, 3-2-1

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

10/24/2024 9:48:00 PM | Men's Soccer

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GCU's Bidanessy scores 2nd goal of season for 1-0 lead

By: Nick Macdonald

The Grand Canyon men's soccer team began its last regular season homestand with California Baptist on Thursday night, when the Lopes took a 1-0 second-half lead before the Lancers countered twice for a 2-1 WAC win at GCU Stadium.

Notes

GCU sophomore forward Solo Bidanessy scored his second goal of the season in the 50th minute. Freshman midfielder Xande Santos tallied the assist for his first career collegiate point.
The Lopes enter Sunday's home matchup with first-place San Diego State in seventh place in the WAC standings. The top six teams advance to the WAC Tournament. The Lopes have three games left and trail sixth-place Utah Tech by one point.

GCU (5-7-3, 2-3-1 WAC) outshot California Baptist (4-5-5, 3-2-1 WAC) in the first half while each goalkeeper tallied a save. Sophomore midfielder Jorge Lopez nearly gave the Lopes the lead with a low rocket strike in the eighth minute to the far-right corner, only for Lancer goalie Hugo Do Rego to save it with a dive toward the post.

Lopez then found space at the 27-minute mark from 30 yards out and attempted a long shot from that range, hitting the crossbar on the ball's descent. Three minutes later, a Bidanessy shot also hit the top of the crossbar as the offense pushed the Lancer defense for most of the first half.

The momentum carried over to the second half, when Bidanessy put the Lopes ahead 1-0. Santos sent a long ball for Bidanessy on the run near the left sideline, where Bidanessy took it in stride and used his speed to go past the defender and chipped the ball toward the right side of the net for the goal.

The Lancers tripled their shot total in second half and pressured GCU's back line more aggressively as the clock neared the 90th minute. California Baptist eventually broke through via a corner kick in the 76th minute, with David Cordes heading the ball just across the goal line as Schmidt was beyond the line to make the save.

Five minutes later, California Baptist took the lead via an own goal by the Lopes after a free kick attempt went from right to left inside the 18-yard box. Schmidt's attempt to punch the ball out hit Lopes defender Liam Harrington, ricocheting the ball back toward the net.

GCU was unable to register a shot in the final 20 minutes of action. After no yellow cards through the first 69 minutes of the match, five were called over the final 21 minutes with four on the Lopes.

GCU stays home for its regular-season home finale Sunday evening versus San Diego State. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.