Season comes to close on Senior Day

Sunday, October 26

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-8-2, 3-5-2

Colorado College

5-6-6, 2-3-4

Colorado Col.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

10/26/2025 4:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Nine seniors honored before the match

By: Braden Dohrmann

Grand Canyon's season came to a close Sunday afternoon, when the Lopes and Colorado College drew 0-0 on GCU's Senior Day.

The Lopes needed a win and more to be in contention for a Mountain West Championship spot, but it was near halftime when GCU's fate was sealed with San Diego State's home win against Wyoming.

Only six of 13 conference members make the tournament, and GCU will not be one of them this year. The Lopes finished the season with an 8-8-2 record (3-5-2 MW).

Before the match, nine GCU seniors were honored for their contributions to the program. All nine seniors started the match as well, including the first GCU career starts for Liesel Odden and Jess Haynes.

Haynes was the subject of the only shot on goal for the Lopes in the first half. The four-year Lopes defender was placed up top as a forward alongside Odden to start the match. GCU senior winger Hannah Smith made a run down the right sideline and crossed the ball into a sprinting Haynes, who slid and managed to get a shot on frame, but the goalkeeper dived to deflect the ball away.

The offense ran through Smith, with the speedster crossing double-digit passes into the box. However, none led to scores because of missed shots and offsides. GCU was called for nine offsides calls, easily a season high.

Lopes senior outside back Jayden Sanders gave it her all in her final match. Matched up consistently with Colorado College's Nadia Cassamajor throughout the match, the pair battled with physical play. Sanders seemed to "win" the battle with Cassamajor committing two fouls and not getting any good looks.

GCU junior goalkeeper Emma Knack secured four saves in the first half before redshirt freshman Taylor Gardner sealed the shutout in the second half, adding two saves.

"The first thing my mind goes to is gratitude," Lopes head coach Chris Cissell said. "We celebrated the careers of nine seniors who massively impacted our soccer team and culture. They are great leaders and will be severely missed in the locker room.

"I am just sad right now, because I wanted so badly for the seniors to finish their careers out with a win."

Looking ahead, November expects to be a busy one for the GCU staff. National Signing Day (Nov. 12) and the transfer portal (opens Nov. 17) will be two areas that the staff expects to replace the nine seniors.

Here is a look at the nine seniors who were honored Sunday:

Liesel Odden
Oregon, Wisconsin

Odden played her first season with Grand Canyon this year after spending the previous four seasons at Syracuse.

Despite joining the team in July, Odden was unafraid to make her voice known as a leader on and off the field. Her experience and infectious energy were invaluable to her teammates all season long.

Kennedy Chambers
Chandler, Arizona

Chambers spent her final collegiate season in Phoenix after playing for Texas Tech and Kentucky in her first four seasons.

In her final collegiate season, Chambers stayed healthy and made an instant impact. She recorded the third-most minutes on the team as a vocal, physical leader on the defensive back line. Chambers scored her first career collegiate goal in game-winning fashion at CSUN earlier this season.

Jess Haynes
Phoenix, Arizona

Haynes has been a Lope for all four years of her college career. She will be remembered for her consistency, longevity and servant leadership.

Haynes showed up to training with a great attitude and work ethic each and every day and will be missed by the entire soccer family. She was a part of the 2023 WAC championship team.

Maddie Brady
Thornton, Colorado

Brady has been at Grand Canyon for three years after playing her freshman year at Michigan State.

She is an energetic WAC champion who appeared in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Her first career goal came in the 2023 WAC Tournament championships match, and she assisted the game-winning goal in GCU's win over Air Force in the 2024 Outrigger No Ka Oi in Hawaii.

Payton Fisher
St. Louis, Missouri

Fisher has been a career-long Lope, playing consistently in big moments over the past four years.

Fisher is a WAC champion and scored a goal in each of her first three seasons. She added two game-winning assists in the 2024 season. She has blossomed into a leader on and off the field and was baptized in front of many of her teammates this season.

Jayden Sanders
Brentwood, California

Sanders has been at Grand Canyon for three years after playing her freshman season at Oregon State.

The 2023 WAC champion really made an impression on the team over the past two seasons, appearing in every match over that span and accumulating more than 1,000 minutes each season on the back line. Sanders started 18 games as an outside back in 2024, helping the Lopes earn the best goals-against-average in program history. She was a part of the team's leadership council and led by example with memorable tenacity on the pitch.

Grace Batrlett
Overland Park, Kansas

Bartlett is a four-year Lope who made a huge impact on the program on and off the field.

She will be remembered for her development over the years, starting her first career matches in her senior year. Bartlett also will be remembered for her big leg and free-kick bangers, which turned into goals vs. Abilene Christian in 2024 and vs. Air Force this season. She brought a selfless attitude with veteran leadership and presence in the locker room. Bartlett was picked as a captain by her teammates and was a part of the team leadership council.