GCU faces unbeaten North Dakota State in Hawaii

Thursday, August 29

Honolulu, Hawaii

7:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

North Dakota State

Photo by: Jayden Todd

8/28/2024 9:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Entire Lopes team, staff make trip to islands for 2 neutral-site matches

By: Braden Dohrmann

Thursday, Aug. 29 \| 7:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) \| Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium \| Honolulu, Hawaii

	NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON (3-0-1)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (2-1-1)

WATCH: N/A \| STATS: View

Grand Canyon begins its business trip to Hawaii with a battle against the unbeaten Bison of North Dakota State on Thursday.

GCU comes off a 1-0-1 week with a draw at Utah and convincing home win over Little Rock.
North Dakota State will face GCU for the first time since 2018, when the teams met in Hawaii as well.
Lopes senior DeAira Jackson received the season's first WAC Goalkeeper of the Week award (Aug. 15-18). She has only allowed three goals through four matches this season.
Sophomore midfielder Madison Hamm received WAC Defensive Player of the Week (Aug. 19-25). She scored a match-tying goal in the 85th minute of the Utah match to go along with over 100 minutes of stellar defensive play. It was her first collegiate goal.
GCU has seven players with at least one goal through its first four matches. Eight players have recorded an assist.
The Lopes are 2-1 at home, with a tie vs. Utah in their lone road game this season.
Freshman forward Reese Clem leads the team in goals (two). Midfielders Ani Jensen and AJ Loera lead the team in assists (two each).
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.

GCU beat Little Rock on Sunday at GCU Stadium in a 4-1 throttling of the Trojans.
Four players scored a goal, while four players also recorded an assist. Bella Piete and Mayu Yamamoto scored their first goals as Lopes since transferring from San Diego and Southern Utah, respectively.
GCU fired a season-high 27 shots, 13 of which were on goal.
The Lopes used 22 players on the night.

GCU has played 22 players twice in its first four matches of the season.
With multiple starters missing time due to minor injuries, new players have been asked to step up.
Payton Fisher, Ellie Crisler and Alex Sampson made their first starts of the season Sunday vs. Little Rock and project to start again this week.

GCU and North Dakota State have met two times previously.
The Bison are 2-0 in the matchups, last winning 3-2 in overtime in the Rainbow Wahine Shootout. This was also the last time GCU played in Hawaii.
The Bison enter with a 3-0-1 record after most recently beating Hawaii Pacific 1-0 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium on Tuesday.
Junior Devon Kavanagh has led North Dakota State on the offensive end with two goals and two assists this season.
The Bison have started three goalkeepers this season. Junior Payton Mulberry has started twice, allowed zero goals and has a team-leading five saves.