Completed Event: Men's Soccer at California Baptist on October 12, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
M Soccer
at California Baptist
L 0-1
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, November 15
Riverside, Calif.
2 p.m. (MST)
Grand Canyon
13-3-4, 3-1-3
2
vs
1
San José State
12-4-4, 3-2-2
1
2
F
San Jose St.
0
1
1
Grand Canyon
0
2
2
Lopes punch NCAA Tournament ticket
11/15/2025 5:42:00 PM | Men's Soccer
GCU headed for 4th trip to NCAAs after winning WAC Tournament
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Constant rain, a weather delay and a muddy field. Those were the conditions Saturday afternoon at CBU Soccer Stadium in Riverside, California, for the WAC Tournament championship match.
But through all the rain, it was Grand Canyon that reigned victorious over San José State, defeating the Spartans 2-1 to clinch the WAC's automatic NCAA Tournament bid and earn the program's fourth NCAA Tournament trip in the program's Division I era.
The win marked the first WAC Tournament title victory for GCU since 2018 and its first NCAA Tournament qualification since 2021. The victory Saturday capped off a 3-0 WAC Tournament week that saw the Lopes outscore opponents 8-1. With five consecutive wins, GCU has built an eight-match unbeaten streak to improve to 13-3-4.
"I really am pleased, but it's not about me; it's about the players," Lopes second-year head coach George Kiefer. said "I thought today, with the conditions and everything they dealt with in the second half, there were periods where I really thought we were going to get to a third (goal). But our team looked possessed to win. The work from the entire group, guys coming off the bench, guys starting, just collectively worked so hard. We're getting up at 5 a.m. in January, and for it to pay off for them, coming to the field when it's dark out, they're working their tails off. Sure enough, we get a reward for it. But the biggest thing I'd say about Grand Canyon is that it's impacted my life in such a great way. It's brought me closer to God, and I really want to praise God in this moment, because he's been wonderful to us."
GCU and San José State (12-4-4) tied 1-1 when they first met in Phoenix on Oct. 18. Saturday's title match played to a 0-0 stalemate at the end of the first half, with limited shots and limited mobility as the field was covered in standing water from an ongoing rain. Multiple times, both teams tried breakaways, only for the ball to stop dead in its tracks because of puddles formed by two days of rain.
A 45-minute weather delay ensued after the first-half horn, monitoring the pitch as the weather turned from a 90-degree kickoff Sunday to a high-50s start Saturday.
The championship match's second half was a ramp up from the first for the Lopes, totaling three shots and forcing a corner kick through the first 14 minutes of play. With limited mobility on the run, the Lopes had to take advantage of every free kick opportunity they could, and a 66th-minute foul from the Spartans set up junior defender Felipe Cobian.
Cobian, who has started in 19 of 20 games and is third on the team in minutes played, has been a key back-line contributor to seven GCU shutouts this season. On Saturday, he stood over the ball 25 yards out from the net for a huge offensive moment. He struck a left-footed kick on frame, and the ball spun toward the upper-left post with enough movement for a diving Edgar Guerra to get a piece of the ball. The deflection off his gloves went into the net for a 1-0 Lopes lead.
With the 1-0 lead, the Lopes had freshman sensation Junior Diouf eager to pad onto the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, GCU regained possession and attacked the Spartan back line. Sophomore forward Alan Hermitte, who has three game-winning goals this season, found traffic from the defense but pulled back, seeing Diouf to his right-hand side. Hermitte passed it to Diouf, who lasered a ball on net and into the goal for the Lopes' second goal in a 24-second span.
A 0-0 tie was quickly a 2-0 advantage for GCU with just more than 20 minutes to play.
"I just want to thank God for this trophy," Diouf said. "We worked so hard for three months this past fall for this trophy, and I am just so happy, I don't have any words to really say."
San José State, which came into the contest with the second-most goals in the WAC to GCU, found its first goal in the 85th minute off the foot of Dave Pendleton. It was the first goal given up in by the Lopes in 355 minutes of play over the course of four matches.
But the first goal never amounted to a second, as GCU thwarted off a last-minute corner kick by the Spartans, and clinched the trophy after a rain-filled afternoon.
"We knew San José State was a good team, and when they have the ball they can be dangerous," Diouf said. "Coach told me you have to make the most of this opportunity today, and when I found space, I did everything I could to score for this team."
Diouf made history with his goal, logging his 17th of the season to surpass Niki Jackson's single-season D-I era program record of 16 set back in 2016. Diouf is now the program's D-I era single-season leader in points (40) and goals. He has a chance to push those numbers higher in the first round of the NCAA Tournament next week.
"Excellent class from our back line," Kiefer said. "We spent a lot of time working with them, and it's a process. But I feel like we are still getting better and better even with how long this week was. Collectively, everything is coming together."
The Lopes will learn their NCAA Tournament destination during the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship Selection Show on Monday at 11 a.m. (Phoenix time) on NCAA.com.
But through all the rain, it was Grand Canyon that reigned victorious over San José State, defeating the Spartans 2-1 to clinch the WAC's automatic NCAA Tournament bid and earn the program's fourth NCAA Tournament trip in the program's Division I era.
The win marked the first WAC Tournament title victory for GCU since 2018 and its first NCAA Tournament qualification since 2021. The victory Saturday capped off a 3-0 WAC Tournament week that saw the Lopes outscore opponents 8-1. With five consecutive wins, GCU has built an eight-match unbeaten streak to improve to 13-3-4.
"I really am pleased, but it's not about me; it's about the players," Lopes second-year head coach George Kiefer. said "I thought today, with the conditions and everything they dealt with in the second half, there were periods where I really thought we were going to get to a third (goal). But our team looked possessed to win. The work from the entire group, guys coming off the bench, guys starting, just collectively worked so hard. We're getting up at 5 a.m. in January, and for it to pay off for them, coming to the field when it's dark out, they're working their tails off. Sure enough, we get a reward for it. But the biggest thing I'd say about Grand Canyon is that it's impacted my life in such a great way. It's brought me closer to God, and I really want to praise God in this moment, because he's been wonderful to us."
GCU and San José State (12-4-4) tied 1-1 when they first met in Phoenix on Oct. 18. Saturday's title match played to a 0-0 stalemate at the end of the first half, with limited shots and limited mobility as the field was covered in standing water from an ongoing rain. Multiple times, both teams tried breakaways, only for the ball to stop dead in its tracks because of puddles formed by two days of rain.
A 45-minute weather delay ensued after the first-half horn, monitoring the pitch as the weather turned from a 90-degree kickoff Sunday to a high-50s start Saturday.
The championship match's second half was a ramp up from the first for the Lopes, totaling three shots and forcing a corner kick through the first 14 minutes of play. With limited mobility on the run, the Lopes had to take advantage of every free kick opportunity they could, and a 66th-minute foul from the Spartans set up junior defender Felipe Cobian.
Cobian, who has started in 19 of 20 games and is third on the team in minutes played, has been a key back-line contributor to seven GCU shutouts this season. On Saturday, he stood over the ball 25 yards out from the net for a huge offensive moment. He struck a left-footed kick on frame, and the ball spun toward the upper-left post with enough movement for a diving Edgar Guerra to get a piece of the ball. The deflection off his gloves went into the net for a 1-0 Lopes lead.
⚽️ Upper 90!@GCU_MSoccer scores first in this #WACmsoc championship as Felipe Cobian gets this amazing shot in the back of the net!
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) November 15, 2025
Watch live:
📺 (ESPN+) https://t.co/zf4syHeUjm#SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/KmoZlGfwQJ
With the 1-0 lead, the Lopes had freshman sensation Junior Diouf eager to pad onto the lead. On the ensuing kickoff, GCU regained possession and attacked the Spartan back line. Sophomore forward Alan Hermitte, who has three game-winning goals this season, found traffic from the defense but pulled back, seeing Diouf to his right-hand side. Hermitte passed it to Diouf, who lasered a ball on net and into the goal for the Lopes' second goal in a 24-second span.
A 0-0 tie was quickly a 2-0 advantage for GCU with just more than 20 minutes to play.
"I just want to thank God for this trophy," Diouf said. "We worked so hard for three months this past fall for this trophy, and I am just so happy, I don't have any words to really say."
San José State, which came into the contest with the second-most goals in the WAC to GCU, found its first goal in the 85th minute off the foot of Dave Pendleton. It was the first goal given up in by the Lopes in 355 minutes of play over the course of four matches.
But the first goal never amounted to a second, as GCU thwarted off a last-minute corner kick by the Spartans, and clinched the trophy after a rain-filled afternoon.
"We knew San José State was a good team, and when they have the ball they can be dangerous," Diouf said. "Coach told me you have to make the most of this opportunity today, and when I found space, I did everything I could to score for this team."
Diouf made history with his goal, logging his 17th of the season to surpass Niki Jackson's single-season D-I era program record of 16 set back in 2016. Diouf is now the program's D-I era single-season leader in points (40) and goals. He has a chance to push those numbers higher in the first round of the NCAA Tournament next week.
"Excellent class from our back line," Kiefer said. "We spent a lot of time working with them, and it's a process. But I feel like we are still getting better and better even with how long this week was. Collectively, everything is coming together."
The Lopes will learn their NCAA Tournament destination during the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship Selection Show on Monday at 11 a.m. (Phoenix time) on NCAA.com.
🟣 AQ CLINCHED 🟣
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) November 16, 2025
(3) @GCU_MSoccer has punched its ticket to the 2025 @NCAA DI Men's Soccer Tournament, earning an automatic bid after claiming the @WACsports title. #NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/CgJWI3ERt1
⚽️ 2 goals in 24 seconds!
— The Western Athletic Conference (@WACsports) November 15, 2025
Junior Diouf makes it 2-0 for @gcu_msoccer in this #wacmsoc championship just 24 seconds after the first goal of the match!
Watch live:
📺 (ESPN+) pic.twitter.com/TfHw1XeKa3
Team Stats
SJSU
GCU
Goals
1
2
Shots
6
13
Shots on Goal
3
5
Saves
3
2
Corners
2
4
Fouls
17
10
Scoring Plays
Felipe Cobian (1)
GOAL by GCU Cobian, Felipe.
65:40
Junior Diouf (17)
Assisted By: Alan Hermitte
GOAL by GCU Diouf, Junior Assist by Hermitte, Alan.
66:04
Dane Pendleton (2)
Assisted By: Angel Iniguez , Gilberto Rivera
GOAL by SJSU Pendleton, Dane Assist by Iniguez, Angel and Rivera, Gilberto.
84:12
Game Leaders
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
5
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
fwd
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GCU Men's Basketball at Saint Louis - Highlights
Sunday, November 16
GCU punches ticket! 🎟️⚽️
Sunday, November 16
Lopes celebrate with the WAC men's soccer trophy 🏆
Sunday, November 16
GCU Men's Soccer WAC Championship - Highlights
Sunday, November 16