Shutout victory starts WAC play well at UTRGV

Sunday, October 6

Edinburg, Texas

Noon (Phoenix time)

Grand Canyon

4-4-2, 1-0-0

UT Rio Grande Valley

2-5-1, 0-1-0

Grand Canyon

UTRGV

Photo by: Wesley Kurz / GCU

10/6/2024 2:55:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Assane scores, assists as GCU earns 3rd shutout of season

By: Nick Macdonald

EDINBURG, Texas – After 13 days between games, Grand Canyon started WAC play on a high note with a 2-0 victory Sunday at UT Rio Grande Valley.

Highlights

GCU senior forward Ben Assane scored and added an assist, bringing his season point total to eight, ranking third best on the squad.
Lopes junior forward Bright Nutornutsi scored his sixth goal of the season, which ranks him second in the WAC.
The GCU defense shut out the opposition for the third time this season. Of the Lopes' 10 games, eight have resulted in one or zero goals allowed.

"Very pleased with the guys' effort and toughness," GCU head coach George Kiefer said. "It was difficult at times with the wind and surface, but the guys fought through it. Two excellent goals by Bright and Ben, topped off with getting a shutout was excellent."

The Lopes (4-4-2, 1-0 WAC) scored on their first shot attempt of the afternoon via Nutornutsi, who finished his 16th career goal from 5 feet outl via an Assane pass. Assane drove from the top right of the 18-yard box to the right corner flag and used his strength to set himself free for a pass across the goal line to Nutornutsi.

GCU senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt totaled two saves on the day, both of which came in the first half as the defense saw five shots against it through the first 45 minutes. UTRGV only took two second half-shots, neither of which were on goal.

It took less than three minutes into the second for the Lopes to find their second goal, as Assane hit a low line drive through the goalie's arms from 20 yards out. Junior forward Nelson Gomez Rodriguez flicked a ball with his right foot to Assane, who used his 6-foot-2 frame to poke the ball past a diving Fernando Carreon of UTRGV for the goal.

The Vaqueros (2-5-1, 0-1-0) nearly put a goal on the board in the 88th minute as a shot by Jamie Carillo was blocked by junior midfielder Austin Pearcy's right leg, sending the ball out of bounds and keeping the shutout intact.

The Lopes recorded five shots, three of which were on goal, in comparison to UTRGV's seven shots with two on goal.

GCU returns home for back-to-back matches, starting Thursday versus Air Force and then followed by a Sunday evening contest versus Utah Valley. Both contests begin at 7 p.m. at GCU Stadium