Completed Event: Men's Soccer versus Santa Clara on September 8, 2025 , Win , 4, to, 0
M Soccer
vs Santa Clara
W 4-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Tuesday, September 30
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
6-2-1, 0-0-0
2
vs
1
UT Rio Grande Valley
1-6-1, 0-0-0
1
2
F
UTRGV
0
1
1
Grand Canyon
2
0
2
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Diouf brace brings winning end to nonconference play
9/30/2025 10:37:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro
Lopes freshman enters national top 10 for goals as GCU moves to 6-2-1
There were two options to watch men's college soccer on Tuesday night – unanimous No. 1 Portland or Grand Canyon freshman Junior Diouf.
The latter was the right choice.
The Lopes' scoring sensation sizzled again, delivering two goals in a five-minute span to send GCU to a 2-1 win against UT Rio Grande Valey. The Lopes' victory at GCU Stadium closed out a 6-2-1 nonconference season, their best mark entering conference play since the top-25 team of 2021 went 5-1.
The defense has not allowed more than one goal in any match, and that was all that was needed to make Diouf's brace stand up Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-1 Senegalese forward's 30th- and 35th-minute goals brought his season total to eight, putting Diouf in a tie for the sixth-most goals in the nation this season. No other freshman ranks in the national top 15.
"Junior is exceptional," GCU head coach George Kiefer said. "I think if we were a little cleaner on the finish, then we don't have the stress at the end, but give UTRGV credit. They've played everybody tight. But to be 6-2-1 at the end of conference play is really good."
Diouf passed his postgame interview to junior midfielder Martin Luala, which was apropos after Luala passed to Diouf for his first goal Tuesday night.
A GCU pass to Diouf had been broken up, but Luala recovered it and chipped a long, well-timed pass from the midfield to Diouf entering the box. Diouf controlled the ball with his right foot on the left side and used his left foot to score into the net's right side panel for a 1-0 edge.
Luala, a Phoenix Washington High School graduate, scored his first goal in Friday's win before registering his second assist of the month Tuesday night.
"Junior is going to keep getting more goals," Luala said. "We're going to try to make him a top scorer in the conference too. Honestly, he just surprises me. That was so good."
While the defense kept UTRGV without a shot in the first half, GCU pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 35th minute on a goal set up by Lopes sophomore forward Alan Hermitte intercepting a Vaquero backfield pass.
Hermitte, who also scored a goal in GCU's Friday win, used his left foot to center the ball for Diouf, who split two defenders to race into the box. He dribbled past the charging goalkeeper for a tap-in goal and a 2-0 Lopes lead.
Diouf's eight goals already puts him in a tie for the eight-most goals scored by a GCU player in the program's Division I era. The Lopes still have a seven-match conference season and a potential postseason remaining.
GCU threatened for more in the second half, although UTRGV also became more threatening offensively with five shots after halftime.
Lopes freshman forward Liam Healy pressured the Vaqueros with early second-half opportunities on a header and a breakaway. In the 57th minute, GCU junior midfielder Allan Rosales leaped for a header but had the goal waved off for a foul.
It was a UTRGV header goal in the 65 minute that tightened the lead to 2-1, but it stayed there with Lopes freshman Max Kiefer heading out the last threat in the final minute.
In the final minutes, a Diouf pass to Kiefer nearly set up another goal, and a Kiefer breakaway centering pass to Diouf was broken up.
GCU outshot UTRGV 16-5 despite missing graduate forward Ben Assane and junior midfielder Jorge Lopez.
"We could've done much better, but at least we got a win," Luala said. "We'll keep playing games, moving on and winning games for GCU and the team. We're a family. This is good momentum, but we're going to keep pushing up. Now it's going to get much harder, so we have to keep moving forward."
The Lopes will start conference play at home Saturday against Utah Valley, which is receiving top-25 votes at 6-0-1. GCU is 6-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming in the only game that Diouf did not play.
"You turn your focus," Kiefer said of the WAC opener. "You look at what (head coach) Kyle Beckerman has done at Utah Valley, building a new stadium with the support he gets there. It's Year 5 of his project. They were ranked as high as 16th in the country. It's a wonderful challenge for us Saturday night to see where we're at. It should be a great environment here on Saturday night."
The latter was the right choice.
The Lopes' scoring sensation sizzled again, delivering two goals in a five-minute span to send GCU to a 2-1 win against UT Rio Grande Valey. The Lopes' victory at GCU Stadium closed out a 6-2-1 nonconference season, their best mark entering conference play since the top-25 team of 2021 went 5-1.The defense has not allowed more than one goal in any match, and that was all that was needed to make Diouf's brace stand up Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-1 Senegalese forward's 30th- and 35th-minute goals brought his season total to eight, putting Diouf in a tie for the sixth-most goals in the nation this season. No other freshman ranks in the national top 15.
"Junior is exceptional," GCU head coach George Kiefer said. "I think if we were a little cleaner on the finish, then we don't have the stress at the end, but give UTRGV credit. They've played everybody tight. But to be 6-2-1 at the end of conference play is really good."
Diouf passed his postgame interview to junior midfielder Martin Luala, which was apropos after Luala passed to Diouf for his first goal Tuesday night.
A GCU pass to Diouf had been broken up, but Luala recovered it and chipped a long, well-timed pass from the midfield to Diouf entering the box. Diouf controlled the ball with his right foot on the left side and used his left foot to score into the net's right side panel for a 1-0 edge.
Luala, a Phoenix Washington High School graduate, scored his first goal in Friday's win before registering his second assist of the month Tuesday night."Junior is going to keep getting more goals," Luala said. "We're going to try to make him a top scorer in the conference too. Honestly, he just surprises me. That was so good."
While the defense kept UTRGV without a shot in the first half, GCU pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 35th minute on a goal set up by Lopes sophomore forward Alan Hermitte intercepting a Vaquero backfield pass.
Hermitte, who also scored a goal in GCU's Friday win, used his left foot to center the ball for Diouf, who split two defenders to race into the box. He dribbled past the charging goalkeeper for a tap-in goal and a 2-0 Lopes lead.
Diouf's eight goals already puts him in a tie for the eight-most goals scored by a GCU player in the program's Division I era. The Lopes still have a seven-match conference season and a potential postseason remaining.
GCU threatened for more in the second half, although UTRGV also became more threatening offensively with five shots after halftime.
Lopes freshman forward Liam Healy pressured the Vaqueros with early second-half opportunities on a header and a breakaway. In the 57th minute, GCU junior midfielder Allan Rosales leaped for a header but had the goal waved off for a foul.It was a UTRGV header goal in the 65 minute that tightened the lead to 2-1, but it stayed there with Lopes freshman Max Kiefer heading out the last threat in the final minute.
In the final minutes, a Diouf pass to Kiefer nearly set up another goal, and a Kiefer breakaway centering pass to Diouf was broken up.
GCU outshot UTRGV 16-5 despite missing graduate forward Ben Assane and junior midfielder Jorge Lopez.
"We could've done much better, but at least we got a win," Luala said. "We'll keep playing games, moving on and winning games for GCU and the team. We're a family. This is good momentum, but we're going to keep pushing up. Now it's going to get much harder, so we have to keep moving forward."
The Lopes will start conference play at home Saturday against Utah Valley, which is receiving top-25 votes at 6-0-1. GCU is 6-1 at home this season with the lone loss coming in the only game that Diouf did not play.
"You turn your focus," Kiefer said of the WAC opener. "You look at what (head coach) Kyle Beckerman has done at Utah Valley, building a new stadium with the support he gets there. It's Year 5 of his project. They were ranked as high as 16th in the country. It's a wonderful challenge for us Saturday night to see where we're at. It should be a great environment here on Saturday night."
Another match, another Junior goal 🤩⚽️
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) October 1, 2025
That's the freshman's 7️⃣th goal of the season!! pic.twitter.com/BEqaU2Zj3f
Deja vu?? 😅
— GCU Men's Soccer (@GCU_MSoccer) October 1, 2025
Goal number TWO tonight from Junior Diouf! 2-0 GCU‼️ pic.twitter.com/LU0dPu3LTG
Team Stats
UTRGV
GCU
Goals
1
2
Shots
5
16
Shots on Goal
3
5
Saves
3
2
Corners
3
7
Fouls
14
10
Scoring Plays
Junior Diouf (8)
Assisted By: Martin Luala
GOAL by GCU Diouf, Junior Assist by Luala, Martin.
29:12
Junior Diouf (8)
Assisted By: Alan Hermitte
GOAL by GCU Diouf, Junior Assist by Hermitte, Alan.
34:04
Eduardo De Oliveira (4)
Assisted By: Sora Noda , Sota Matsuo
GOAL by UTRGV De Oliveira, Eduardo Assist by Noda, Sora and Matsuo, Sota.
64:02
Game Leaders
Shots
6
SOG
2
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
fwd
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
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