2nd-half momentum flip spoils GCU opener

Thursday, August 14

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

0-1-0, 0-0-0

UC Irvine

1-0-0, 0-0-0

UC Irvine

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

8/14/2025 10:36:00 PM | Women's Soccer, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

UC Irvine wins 4-1 in Phoenix despite only leading shots 13-12

By: Paul Coro

There is plenty of upside to the Grand Canyon women's soccer team, and that is what the Lopes will lean into over the next week to ascend from a season-opening loss.

UC Irvine spoiled opening night for the Lopes, scoring twice in a 3 1/2-minute span to break a 1-1, second-half tie en route to a 4-1 victory at GCU Stadium.

Tatum Hofstetter

The Lopes applied their best pressure and secured possession the most early in the second half. But they could not put away chances for a go-ahead goal on a night when shots were nearly even (UC Irvine 13-12).

After GCU was offsides on a potential go-ahead scoring opportunity in the 55th minute, the Anteaters swung momentum by taking advantage of a deep shot that deflected off Lopes junior goalkeeper Emma Knack. UC Irvine freshman forward Fiona Shin surged first on the rebound and knocked it into the net for a 2-1 Anteaters lead.

UC Irvine, projected to be a top-three Big West team again, launched again from long-distance at the 68th minute with sophomore defender Kori Pickelle scoring on a 30-yard diagonal shot into the upper-right corner to lead 3-1.

"We only played well for about 20 to 25 minutes out of the 90 tonight," GCU head coach Chris Cissell said. "You're not going to beat other good Division I teams if you only perform at the standard we have for 20-25 minutes.

"The first 20 minutes of the second half, we were very good. We were all over them when it was 1-1, and I really truly believed we were going to get the goal and take the lead."

UC Irvine dominated possession at the outset of the game and took a 1-0 lead when another long shot bounced off the crossbar, setting up the Anteaters to return the ball to the box for senior midfielder Mia Colombini's bank off the left post and into the net from 8 yards out.

Neither team took a shot for a 20-minute stretch until GCU freshman forward Maya Paeske took advantage of an errant UC Irvine reversal pass. Paeske swiped it ahead of defenders, putting her one on one for a close-range goal between the goalkeeper's legs.

"It's phenomenal," said Paeske, who is from Solana Beach, California. "When that ball was coming across, I was like, 'OK, you have to calm down and score.' That was the best feeling in the world."

She tied the game despite being hit from behind as she connected with precision. Paeske is the first GCU freshman to score on Opening Night since Emma Anderson's goal in a 1-0 win against Stetson in 2019.

"I just wanted to make sure the defenders were behind me and then it was me and the keeper," Paeske said. "You have to keep your composure because you literally have a half-second to place it where you need to."

The Lopes opened the second half with the first three shots and great opportunities off passes from sophomore forward Reese Clem far right and sophomore Sabrina Guzman down the middle.

The two-goal binge flipped momentum but one-third of the match remained. However, the Lopes did not muster another threat against the Anteaters' experienced defense.

UC Irvine reached four goals for the first time since 2022 by using its sixth corner kick. In the 77th minute, Oregon graduate transfer Trinity Morales scored with a shot that glanced off a GCU defender.

The Lopes did not have a corner kick in a match for the first time since 2021.

GCU has a week to regroup for next Thursday night's game at Cal State Northridge.

"It's one game," Cissell said. "We have 17 regular-season games left. It's going to be interesting to see how we bounce back from something like this. We have to lean on our culture and attitudes. It's going to be interesting to see how we all arrive and practice tomorrow morning."