Alderson goal caps lopsided attack for record crowd

Thursday, September 12

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-2-1, 0-0-0

Northern Arizona

0-4-2, 0-0-0

Northern Ariz.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

9/12/2024 10:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU Stadium turnout of 3,475 saw Lopes outshoot Lumberjacks 26-3

By: Paul Coro

With Grand Canyon outshooting Northern Arizona 23-3 for the first 80 minutes of Thursday night soccer, the Lopes' offensive frustration was not constructing concern. It was building belief.

Back in the 4-3-3 formation of past seasons, GCU was operating naturally and comfortably to incessantly knock on opportunity's door until senior midfielder Brenna Alderson blasted it off the hinges. Alderson's game-winning goal in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 win provided the memory that a record crowd of 3,475 fans deserved at GCU Stadium.

"It felt more like a relief when the ball hit the back of the net than a celebration because we kept thinking, 'It's gonna come, it's gonna come,' " Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said.

GCU (5-2-1) was denying scoring chances as often as it was getting them. The Lopes have shut out half of their opponents this season and only allowed 0.5 goals per match (tied for 24th nationally) despite senior star defender Aleisha Ganief being out injured for a fourth time Thursday.

Reese Clem

But after being shut out for the first time this season Sunday at LMU, GCU rectified its offense in a hurry on Thursday night, forcing NAU goalkeeper Trinity Corcoran to get busy. In the first 14 minutes, the Lumberjacks needed Corcoran to make a diving save on sophomore midfielder Madison Hamm's shot and a charging one on junior midfielder AJ Loera's breakaway off senior goalkeeper DeAira Jackson's field-long pass.

That continued for a first half that was lopsided 14-2 in favor of GCU's shots. The threats began coming from farther away in the second half, and Cissell was ready to load up with a four-player front when Alderson reversed strategy into protecting a lead.

As 81 minutes passed, GCU junior forward Payton Fisher was high on the right side of the box when she dribbled in and tried to send the ball deeper. It ricocheted off an NAU defender to stay on the right side, where Alderson swiftly controlled the ball with her right foot and thumped a left-footed shot inside the near post for her first goal of the season and 12th goal of her career.

"We all knew it was coming," Alderson said of a GCU goal. "We just had to finish it off. We're all good at keeping calm and believing we're going to finish the job. We work hard and then it comes naturally."

It was a moment Alderson deserved in her fifth Lopes year. The two-year team captain missed two months of last season because of torn meniscus in her knee and was coming off the bench Thursday night for the first time this season.

"These little moments are huge, and it makes me happy," said Alderson, a Perry High School graduate from Gilbert. "It makes me happy to see my team do well."

The Lopes put 12 of its 26 shot on frame, while Jackson did not need to make another save after the fourth minute on NAU's three-shot night. It marked the second time this season that GCU outshot an opponent by 23, also outshooting Little Rock 27-4 last month.

"If you're creating that many opportunities throughout a 90-minute game, sooner or later one of those is going to go in," Cissell said. "Brenna's shot was well-driven and well-placed. I was happy for the whole team."

Destinee Duran-Wise

Other than a 1-1 tie at Utah with three shots, the Lopes are averaging 17 shots per game this season. That makes GCU believe more goals are to follow, especially with the players understanding the 4-3-3 system better than the 3-5-2 look that it unveiled to start the season.

It worked for 26 shots on Thursday night, when the 24th attempt hit net to make the most of a record attendance. The crowd of 3,475 fans broke the GCU women's soccer program's previous record of 3,241, which was set for a 1-0 home victory against Arizona on Sept. 1, 2022.

With one goal allowed in the past four matches combined, the Lopes will next play at Nevada on Sunday. GCU missed Ganief, but seniors Destinee Duran-Wise and Sidney Roberts fortified the Lopes defense with each giving 89-minute efforts and graduate Alex Sampson adding 77 minutes.

"Defensively, we are just rock solid right now," Cissell said.