Lopes return home for battle with Little Rock

Sunday, August 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Little Rock

8/24/2024 6:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Home tune-up looks to build momentum for Hawaii trip

By: Braden Dohrmann

Sunday, Aug. 25 \| 7 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| GCU Stadium \| Phoenix, Arizona

	LITTLE ROCK TROJANS (0-1-1)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (1-1-1)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: View

Grand Canyon looks to achieve an early-season winning record, as the Trojans of Little Rock come to GCU Stadium for a Sunday night match.

The Lopes were picked to take second place in the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll in a tie with Seattle U (39 votes). They received one first-place vote and trailed only Utah Valley in voting points (46). GCU enters its final season in the WAC, coming off the program's second WAC Tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance.
Little Rock will face GCU just days after a 0-0 tie at Arizona State in Tempe.
Senior DeAira Jackson received the season's first WAC Goalkeeper of the Week award (Aug. 15-18). With 14 saves, she has only given up two goals through three matches.
GCU has four players with one goal: freshman Reese Clem, sophomore Madison Hamm, senior Aleisha Ganief and graduate Ellie Crisler.
The Lopes are 1-1 at home, losing 1-0 to Arizona and beating Charleston Southern 3-0 on Aug. 18. Clem scored the team's first goal of the season and the first of her career in the fifth minute of that win.
Ganief scored a goal via header on a corner kick vs. Charleston Southern. She has the most goals by a returner (four). Crisler scored the team's third goal in her first match as a Lope (transfer from Lee).

GCU tied Utah on Thursday at Ute Field in Salt Lake City in a 1-1 thriller.
Hamm scored the tying goal in the 85th minute. The goal was a left-footed "banger" from outside the penalty box for the Lopes' only shot on goal. they were outshot 14-3.
It was Hamm's first career collegiate goal after landing on the 2023 All-WAC Freshman Team.
GCU's defense fended off Utah's high-octane attack for the final 81 minutes, following a Utes goal in the ninth minute gave them an early lead.

GCU returns Jackson in goal, as well as senior Sidney Roberts and Ganief at senior center-backs. Senior Destinee Duran-Wise and junior Jayden Sanders return from last year as well, contributing heavily to the defensive game plan from their outside back positions. Ganief, Roberts and Duran-Wise are captains this season.
Jackson and Roberts are the only two players to play every minute of the first three matches.
Graduate transfer Alex Sampson adds more talent and experience to the back line, coming from future WCC opponent Pepperdine. The Phoenix native appeared in more than 40 matches in the three years she was healthy enough to play. Sampson is projected to make her first start for Grand Canyon, Sunday night.

First-ever meeting between Little Rock and GCU.
The Trojans enter with a 0-1-1 record after drawing 0-0 with Arizona State in Tempe on Thursday.
Little Rock has yet to score through two matches.
Junior Amaya Arias is the leading returning scorer from last season (four goals).
Goalkeeper Peyton Urban has accumulated nine saves through the first two matches, including a shutout of Big 12 opponent Arizona State.

GCU travels to Hawaii for the Outrigger No Ka Oi Classic.
Grand Canyon will face North Dakota State at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium in Honolulu on Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. (Phoenix time).
The Lopes will face Air Force three days later (Sept. 1) in the same stadium.