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7 p.m.
at New Mexico State
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, August 28
Portland, Ore.
1 p.m.
Grand Canyon
at
Portland State
2-match trip to Oregon awaits on Lopes' horizon
8/27/2025 6:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
1-1 Lopes face Portland State, Oregon this week in day matches
Grand Canyon takes on its longest nonconference road trip of the season with this week's matches at Portland State and Oregon.
AT A GLANCE
- The Lopes enter the road swing 1-1-0 after two weeks of regular-season play.
- Grand Canyon won its first match of the season last Thursday at CSUN, where its 1-0 victory was capped by graduate defender Kennedy Chambers' game-winning goal in the 55th minute off a corner kick.
- GCU lost to UC Irvine 4-1 in its season opener at home. Freshman Maya Paeske scored the Lopes goal in her college debut.
- Grand Canyon enters its first season in the Mountain West, coming off an 11-6-3 season in which the Lopes fell in the WAC Tournament title match.
- The Lopes won three conference titles during their time in the WAC (two-time WAC Tournament champions, one regular-season title). All three titles came under head coach Chris Cissell.
- Junior midfielder AJ Loera is three assists away from the program's all-time record of 18, which was set by Marleen Schimmer and Leah Pirro.
- Sophomore forward Ellie Johannes, junior forward Neve Renwick and Loera were named to the Mountain West Preseason Watch List.
- GCU faces four common opponents from its 2024 schedule. The Lopes went 3-1 against those opponents, including wins over Northern Arizona, Nevada and Air Force. They fell to Arizona 1-0.
- GCU has never lost to Portland State or Oregon (1-0 vs. each).
- Starting goalkeeper Emma Knack comes in as a junior after starting her career with South Dakota State. She earned NCAA Tournament experience in the net in 2024 and recorded her first shutout as a Lope in the win over CSUN.
- The GCU roster features seven Arizona natives, including three transfers who return home and three freshmen.
LAST TIME OUT
- GCU beat CSUN 1-0 last Thursday in Northridge, California.
- The Lopes earned their first shutout this season after tallying nine last season.
- Chambers' game-winning goal was the graduate defender's first career goal.
MOUNTAIN WEST QUICK FACTS
- Grand Canyon joined the Mountain West this year, making the Lopes the 13th team in the conference for the 2025 season.
- Each team in the MW will play 10 conference matches (five home, five away) over a six-week period.
- The top six teams will make the Mountain West Championship in Boise, Idaho, with the winner of the tournament collecting an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
- GCU was picked fifth in the MW Preseason Coaches Poll. Utah State was the conference favorite.
- Grand Canyon will not play Utah State (predicted No. 1) or Colorado State (No. 3) during the regular season.
SCOUTING PORTLAND STATE, OREGON
- This is the second all-time meeting between Portland State and GCU.
- The Lopes beat the Vikings 4-1 at GCU Stadium in 2018.
- Portland State is coming off a 2-1 home victory against Western Oregon last week.
- This is the second all-time meeting between Oregon and GCU.
- The Lopes beat the Ducks 1-0 at GCU Stadium in 2023. Magdalena Schwarz scored the winning goal.
- Oregon returns from Hawaii, where they lost to Sacramento State and beat Hawaii last week.
WHAT'S NEXT?
- The Lopes return home to face Sam Houston in Phoenix on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time).
- The match is Athlete Alumni Night with many alumni expected to attend.
Players Mentioned
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