Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus UC Irvine on August 14, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 4
W Soccer
vs UC Irvine
L 1-4
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Wednesday, November 6
Abilene, Texas
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
11-5-3, 5-1-1
0
vs
0
Seattle U
10-3-6, 4-1-2
1
2
3
4
5
F
Seattle U
0
0
0
0
0
0
Grand Canyon
0
0
0
0
0
0
Lopes win WAC semifinal thriller in PK shootout
11/6/2024 10:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GCU will face CBU for NCAA tourney spot in title match Saturday
ABILENE, Texas — Grand Canyon prevailed in penalty kicks to knock out Seattle U and clinch its second straight WAC Championship berth on Wednesday night.
Thanks to the stellar play of senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson only allowing two penalty kick scores and senior midfielder Ani Jensen's game-winning PK, the Lopes defeated the Redhawks in the WAC Tournament semifinal to return to the championship match for the third time in four years.
"It feels so amazing and surreal," Jensen said. "We have been working so hard these last few weeks, especially with PKs after each practice. We all gave one another so much confidence in the idea of this moment and had a great idea of where we wanted to go with each shot."
The Lopes will look to defend their 2023 tournament title when they take on No. 4 seed California Baptist, who upset top-seeded Utah Valley 3-2 earlier Wednesday. The match will take place at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Saturday in Abilene. GCU and CBU drew 0-0 just 11 days ago in Riverside, California.
"I am just so proud of the GCU soccer family," head coach Chris Cissell said, who improved his WAC Tournament record to 8-2 at GCU. "That was such a tough game. Seattle is very good, and we have always had a great rivalry with them. To go 110 minutes at nil-nil and have players step up with the season on the line and with seniors' careers on the line, it was special to be a part of."
GCU (11-5-3) played another incredible match on the defensive side of the pitch, boasting 110 minutes of shutout soccer to set up a PK shootout.
With each team granted five penalty kick opportunities, the Lopes set the tone when junior midfielder AJ Loera stepped up and fired a shot to the left side of the goal for the score. Jackson answered defensively when Seattle U's Alana Lamb took her shot high and off the crossbar.
Lopes senior midfielder Bella Piete made it 2 for 2 for GCU's PKs, sneaking her shot just inside the goal's right post. Seattle U answered to make it 2-1 in penalty kicks and evened the count at 2-2 after senior midfielder Brenna Alderson's third GCU attempt was saved by Seattle U goalkeeper Kassidy Kirgan.
Senior defender turned center forward Aleisha Ganief, fourth in the Lopes' shootout lineup, scored to take a 3-2 lead. A save and a score was all the Lopes needed in that moment.
Jackson did her part, making a diving save to her right on Seattle U's fourth attempt.
"I told myself to be confident," Jackson said. "My team was confident in me, and I knew I needed to be confident in myself. I worked with AJ, Ani, and Piete after practice all week on this exact scenario, and I knew I would be able to get the save when I needed to. It feels great."
The first half of the puzzle had been accomplished, handing Jensen an opportunity to land the final punch. The senior from Salt Lake City took care of business, placing a left-footed strike in the top-right quadrant of the goal to set off a celebration with her teammates.
The Lopes may not have managed a goal in regulation but did dominate most of the match. Seattle U (10-3-6) was on its heels throughout the night, as GCU outshot the Redhawks 19-7 and 10-2 on goal.
A truly dominant defensive match from the Lopes led to Jackson's ninth shutout on the season and 16th of her career, extending both of her GCU all-time records. The entire back line played the full 110 minutes, as did Loera and Alderson in the midfield. The shutout lowered the Lopes' goal-against-average to a staggering 0.73, which ranks 33rd nationally this season and is nine-hundredths better than the program record.
GCU will compete in the program's third WAC title match in a four-year span. All three have come under the direction of Cissell, who won each of the previous two WAC championship matches with the Lopes.
"I thought our coaching staff put together an incredible game plan," Cissell said. "(Associate head coach Blake) Reynolds put awesome tactics together this week, and the girls played them to perfection."
Four of the five GCU players to take shots in the shootout were seniors, all of whom helped extended their Lopes careers at least one more game.
Two days of rest will be crucial for GCU's recovery before it looks to build on the momentum of two consecutive shutouts in pursuit of its third NCAA tournament bid in four years. The Lopes and Lancers will battle Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPN+.
Thanks to the stellar play of senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson only allowing two penalty kick scores and senior midfielder Ani Jensen's game-winning PK, the Lopes defeated the Redhawks in the WAC Tournament semifinal to return to the championship match for the third time in four years.
"It feels so amazing and surreal," Jensen said. "We have been working so hard these last few weeks, especially with PKs after each practice. We all gave one another so much confidence in the idea of this moment and had a great idea of where we wanted to go with each shot."
The Lopes will look to defend their 2023 tournament title when they take on No. 4 seed California Baptist, who upset top-seeded Utah Valley 3-2 earlier Wednesday. The match will take place at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Saturday in Abilene. GCU and CBU drew 0-0 just 11 days ago in Riverside, California.
"I am just so proud of the GCU soccer family," head coach Chris Cissell said, who improved his WAC Tournament record to 8-2 at GCU. "That was such a tough game. Seattle is very good, and we have always had a great rivalry with them. To go 110 minutes at nil-nil and have players step up with the season on the line and with seniors' careers on the line, it was special to be a part of."
GCU (11-5-3) played another incredible match on the defensive side of the pitch, boasting 110 minutes of shutout soccer to set up a PK shootout.
With each team granted five penalty kick opportunities, the Lopes set the tone when junior midfielder AJ Loera stepped up and fired a shot to the left side of the goal for the score. Jackson answered defensively when Seattle U's Alana Lamb took her shot high and off the crossbar.
Lopes senior midfielder Bella Piete made it 2 for 2 for GCU's PKs, sneaking her shot just inside the goal's right post. Seattle U answered to make it 2-1 in penalty kicks and evened the count at 2-2 after senior midfielder Brenna Alderson's third GCU attempt was saved by Seattle U goalkeeper Kassidy Kirgan.
Senior defender turned center forward Aleisha Ganief, fourth in the Lopes' shootout lineup, scored to take a 3-2 lead. A save and a score was all the Lopes needed in that moment.
Jackson did her part, making a diving save to her right on Seattle U's fourth attempt.
"I told myself to be confident," Jackson said. "My team was confident in me, and I knew I needed to be confident in myself. I worked with AJ, Ani, and Piete after practice all week on this exact scenario, and I knew I would be able to get the save when I needed to. It feels great."
The first half of the puzzle had been accomplished, handing Jensen an opportunity to land the final punch. The senior from Salt Lake City took care of business, placing a left-footed strike in the top-right quadrant of the goal to set off a celebration with her teammates.
⚽️ SEMIFINAL 2 FINAL
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) November 7, 2024
No. 2 @GCU_WSoccer 0, No. 3 @seattleuwsoc 0
Ani Jensen gets the winner in PKs! The Lopes are heading to the 'ship!#OneWAC x #WACwsoc pic.twitter.com/ay08CvXEpD
The Lopes may not have managed a goal in regulation but did dominate most of the match. Seattle U (10-3-6) was on its heels throughout the night, as GCU outshot the Redhawks 19-7 and 10-2 on goal.
A truly dominant defensive match from the Lopes led to Jackson's ninth shutout on the season and 16th of her career, extending both of her GCU all-time records. The entire back line played the full 110 minutes, as did Loera and Alderson in the midfield. The shutout lowered the Lopes' goal-against-average to a staggering 0.73, which ranks 33rd nationally this season and is nine-hundredths better than the program record.
GCU will compete in the program's third WAC title match in a four-year span. All three have come under the direction of Cissell, who won each of the previous two WAC championship matches with the Lopes.
"I thought our coaching staff put together an incredible game plan," Cissell said. "(Associate head coach Blake) Reynolds put awesome tactics together this week, and the girls played them to perfection."
Four of the five GCU players to take shots in the shootout were seniors, all of whom helped extended their Lopes careers at least one more game.
Two days of rest will be crucial for GCU's recovery before it looks to build on the momentum of two consecutive shutouts in pursuit of its third NCAA tournament bid in four years. The Lopes and Lancers will battle Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPN+.
⚽️ SEMIFINAL 2@signaturerings Post Match Interview@GCU_WSoccer @CoachCissell discusses the Lopes advancing from the semifinals of the #WACwsoc Tournament! #OneWAC pic.twitter.com/xVJzdhEPyo
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) November 7, 2024
Team Stats
SU
GCU
Goals
0
0
Shots
7
19
Shots on Goal
2
10
Saves
9
2
Corners
3
6
Fouls
10
7
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's SoccerD
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
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