Tough week starts Sunday with CSU Fullerton

Sunday, September 15

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Cal State Fullerton

Buy Tickets

9/14/2024 11:20:00 AM | Men's Soccer

GCU's next 3 opponents finished 2023 in NCAA RPI's top 55

By: Nick Macdonald

Sunday, Sept. 15 \| 7 p.m. \| GCU Stadium \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	CSU FULLERTON TITANS (2-3-1)	at	GRAND CANYON LOPES (3-2-1)

WATCH: ESPN+ \| STATS: Link

AT A GLANCE

Grand Canyon returns to Phoenix for its fourth home contest of the season and takes on CSU Fullerton on Sunday evening at 7.
The Lopes recently played to a 1-1 draw at Santa Clara on Thursday evening, it's GCU's first tie since last season's regular-season finale at Utah Valley. Sophomore Jorge Lopez scored GCU's goal, the team's eighth in the first half this season.
Heading into Sunday, the Lopes hold the ninth-toughest schedule in the nation. Of its past opposition, opponents hold a 20-9-6 record with its cumulative (past and future) opponents combining for 39 victories.
Senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt has 20 saves combined in his last three outings, including a career-high nine versus Omaha. The nine-save showing tied for second best in a single game in GCU's Division I era (est. 2013). Schmidt has four games with five or more saves this season and, as of Sept. 13, is tied for fifth in the nation with 30 saves on the year.
GCU's ability to move the ball has been prevalent in the offense this season, notching 11 assists to 10 goals. Seven Lopes have tallied an assist this season, led by Lopez with four. GCU leads its opposition in goal differential at plus-4 (10-6), while also holding teams to just four assists on the year.
With GCU's goals and assists total, the Lopes rank second in the WAC in points with 29 on the season. The squad has tallied at least three points in all but one game this season, including three games with eight or more points.
GCU junior forward Bright Nutornutsi is sixth in the nation in goals with five on the year. The Accra, Ghana, native is tied for first on the team in shots (10) and leads the team with six shots on goal, ranking 37th in the nation and first in the WAC in that category.
The Lopes notched six voting points in the most recent United Soccer Coaches poll on Sept. 10, the second most only behind UCLA with nine. It is the second consecutive week the Lopes have received votes in that poll. GCU also leaped to a season-best No. 16 in the TopDrawerSoccer poll Monday.

SCHMIDT WITH THE STOPS

Senior goalkeeper Leon Schmidt is climbing the program's D-I era ranks for career saves, totaling 30 through five games this season. Schmidt has 20 combined saves in his last three outings, including a career high nine vs. Omaha.
Schmidt has recorded four games with five or more saves this season, with 11 saves at home. Entering Sunday, he is tied for fifth in the nation in saves and tied for 26th in save percentage (.833).

LOPEZ FINDING HIS FELLOW LOPES

Sophomore midfielder Jorge Lopez is ranked fifth in the nation with four assists. Of GCU's nine goals, 40% have come via a Lopez pass. The sophomore already passed his freshman assist total of three in five games this season.
In addition, senior forward Ben Assane is second on the team with three assists, including an assist in three straight games at Duke, at Elon and vs. Omaha. Seven Lopes have tallied an assist, including the freshman trio of Viggo Gustavsson, Damon Rouse, and Alan Hermitte.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU heads to San Diego, California, to face No. 21 San Diego on Thursday night.
The contest will be the third against a team ranked or receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll this season. GCU is 2-0 in such contests this year.