Lopes find 2nd-half success again, top Cleveland State 3-1

Monday, August 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Cleveland State

0-1-1, 0-0-0

Cleveland St.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

Lopes find 2nd-half success again, top Cleveland State 3-1

8/25/2025 11:56:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

Diouf scores, adds assist as M. Kiefer, Rosales tally 1st goals of season

By: Nick Macdonald

The slogan goes "when it rains, it pours." The rain seems to be find GCU Stadium whenever the Grand Canyon men's soccer team enters the pitch during the 2025 campaign.

But soon the phrase may be altered to "when it rains, GCU scores." After a weather delay Monday night, the Lopes found themselves in the same situation as their home opener Thursday versus Jacksonville – down one score. But the resiliency and effort from all over the pitch produced a 3-1 win over Horizon League program Cleveland State.

Match notes

The match was delayed an hour and 10 minutes due to strong winds and lightning in the area. It marked the second consecutive game with a weather delay, after Thursday's season-opening win vs. Jacksonville was delayed for two hours and 20 minutes.
GCU freshman forward Junior Diouf recorded a goal and added an assist in the second half. Diouf, who scored two goals in a 10-minute span in the Lopes' 2-1 win over Jacksonville, moved his season point total to seven with three goals and an assist in his first two collegiate games.
Besides Diouf, two other freshmen made impacts leading to GCU goals. Max Kiefer scored the equalizer in the 16th minute, with redshirt freshman Raul Vazquez adding an assist for his first career point.
Graduate Ben Assane registered his second assist in as many games, bringing his GCU total to seven in two seasons. Junior Allan Rosales added to the scoring with his first goal of the season to take the lead Monday night.

While GCU (2-0) controlled nearly the entire match by outshooting Cleveland State (0-1-1) 16-2 and owning a 9-3 advantage in corner kicks, the Vikings struck first after a handball by Assane inside the box gave the opposition a one-on-one opportunity with freshman goalkeeper Gavin Atkinson in the first minute.

The Lopes gathered themselves to tally five first-half shots, controlling the pace of play with an eagerness to strike. That moment came when Kiefer knotted the match at 1-1 from just inside the 18-yard box. Vazquez gathered a deflected pass off a defender and sent the ball toward sophomore midfielder Jorge Lopez, who faked a shot and let the ball roll underneath his foot. Kiefer's positioning was right place, right time, and the freshman delivered the equalizer.

"It's a dream come true, really," said Kiefer, whose father is GCU head coach George Kiefer and brother, Jack, is also a Lopes freshman. "I've been thinking about this moment my whole life, but my teammates let me get it done. I try to help the team the best I can and they do the rest."

The second-half numbers favored GCU in nearly every single way, outshooting the Vikings 11-0 with seven corners compared to two. It was Rosales, the Mt. San Antonio transfer, who pushed GCU to the lead with a 5-yard sliding goal. Diouf went from left to right on his pass and found Rosales near the left post, who slid out toward the ball and pushed it past the keeper for the goal.

GCU nearly didn't finish celebrating Rosales' goal before the third and final strike was converted. Diouf found space at midfield with one man to beat, and after taking a pass from Assane, spun around the last defender in one fluid motion to set up a breakaway goal against the keeper. The Vikings goalie met Diouf at the 18, who touched it right to evade him and shot for the Lopes' second goal in a three-minute span.

Multiple Lopes made collegiate debuts, including freshman Liam Healy and Toto Salama. Defender Charles Volcy joined Vazquez in making his first career start.

"This feeling the team has, we're even more excited for Thursday," Kiefer said. "Hopefully, there are more goals to come in front of our home crowd."

The Lopes continue at home Thursday versus Sacramento State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.