Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Eastern Arizona on August 16, 2025 ,
M Soccer
vs Eastern Arizona
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, September 4
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
SMU
Photo by: Brayden Stenner/GCU
Homestand continues with SMU on Thursday night
9/3/2025 11:46:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Lopes-Mustangs match to be broadcast on Arizona's Family Sports
AT A GLANCE
- Grand Canyon has opened the season 3-0 for the first time since 2020, earning three consecutive wins at GCU Stadium over Jacksonville, Cleveland State and Sacramento State. It faces SMU on Thursday evening after the Lopes and Mustangs tied 1-1 in Dallas two seasons ago.Â
- GCU freshman Junior Diouf has catapulted his name near the top of the total goals' and points' leader lists in the nation. He ranks fifth and seventh, respectively, in goals (four) and points (nine) in the Division I landscape with both stats tied for first in the WAC. Diouf is also 11th in the nation in shots per game (4.3) and shots on goal per game (2.0).
- Lopes junior midfielder Jorge Lopez tallied his first assist of the season in GCU's 2-1 win over Sacramento State, putting his career total at nine. Lopez is tied for fifth with Bright Nutornutsi for career assists in the program's D-I era.Â
- GCU ranks 22nd in the nation and first in the conference in shots per game (16.7). The Lopes have 50 shots with at least 15 shots in each of their three matches. The squad also ranks 24th in the country in shots on goal per game (7.0).
- The Lopes are 27th in the nation and second in the conference in corner kicks per game (6.7), with its nine corner kicks against Cleveland State being the most for GCU in a match since Oct. 22, 2023. The Lopes' 15 corner kicks over their last two games are the most since Oct. 19-22, 2023.
- Diouf was named to TopDrawerSoccer's Team of the Week on Tuesday, recognizing the top players in the nation at each position group for a week of play.Â
LAST TIME OUT
- The Lopes defeated Sacramento State 2-1 with another second-half comeback off the foot of Alan Hermitte, who converted an 84th-minute penalty kick for his first career goal.Â
- Diouf scored his fourth goal of the season to push him into the top five nationally in goals and top 10 in points.Â
SCOUTING SMU
- The Mustangs enter Phoenix at 2-1-1 after winning their last two matches. The road contest is the second for SMU, which lost 1-0 at Saint Louis.Â
- SMU entered the season ranked fifth nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. The team was outscored 3-2 through its first games before a 5-2 advantage over its last two contests.Â
- The Mustangs are coming off a 12-3-6 season in which they advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.Â
- SMU has dished out 10 assists through four games, ranking 10th in the nation. Its five goals and 1.75 scoring offense each ranks fifth in the ACC.
WHAT'S NEXT?Â
- The Lopes finish their five-game homestand on Monday, Sept. 8, versus Santa Clara, a team they tied 1-1 on the road last season.Â
- Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at GCU Stadium.
- GCU will endure its first two road matches of the season in California, beginning with CSU Fullerton on Sept. 14 and UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 21.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Men's SoccerKaleb Smith | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Dusty Stromer | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
Makaih Williams | Media Availability | 9.3.25
Thursday, September 04
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