Must-win game closes out regular season

Sunday, November 3

Seattle, Wash.

2 PM (Phoenix time)

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

11/2/2024 2:07:00 PM | Men's Soccer

GCU needs victory, help from 3 teams to advance to WAC Tournament

By: Nick Macdonald

Sunday, Nov. 2 \| 2 p.m. MST \| Championship Field \| Seattle, Wash.

	SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (9-4-1, 6-1-1 WAC)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-8-3, 2-4-1 WAC)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: Link

The Lopes conclude the regular season in Seattle with an afternoon contest on ESPN+.
GCU senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt is one of the nation's top goalkeepers, ranking 23rd in the nation in save percentage (.791), 10th in saves (68) and 35th in saves per game (4.0). He has eight games with four or more saves, including five games with six or more. He notched a career-high nine saves on Sept. 9 vs. Omaha and has tallied 27 saves in WAC play.
Lopes junior forward Bright Nutornutsi leads the team with seven goals and 15 points. He also leads the team in WAC play with two goals, 17 shots and seven shots on goal.
The Lopes lead the WAC in goals against average, allowing just 1.06 goals per game over 17 matches this season. GCU's 3-0 loss on Thursday was the first time an opponent scored three goals against the Lopes this season. GCU has kept the opposition to one goal or none 12 times this season.

GCU's WAC Tournament chances are still alive, but it needs help from others to clinch the sixth and final spot in the tournament.
With Utah Valley and San Diego State's match being canceled, the tiebreaker system moves to points per game in WAC games due to the Aztecs and Wolverines playing one fewer game. For GCU to advance to the tournament, it needs to defeat Seattle U with scenarios of a Utah Valley loss at California Baptist, a Utah Tech loss or draw versus UNLV and a UT Rio Grande Valley loss or draw at San Jose State.
A GCU win and a UTRGV tie would put the Lopes and Vaqueros at 1.11 points per game in WAC games. GCU owns the tiebreaker due to the head-to-head victory earlier in the season.
If the Lopes win and Utah Valley ties with California Baptist, the overall standings will reflect GCU owning more points than Utah Valley. However, due to the cancelation of Utah Valley and San Diego State's contest, the points per game in conference matchups would go to Utah Valley (1.13) over GCU (1.11).

The Lopes will wait the result of the rest of the WAC in Sunday's matchups.
If GCU advances to the WAC Tournament, it will play Sunday at 7 p.m. as the No. 6 seed.