Despite big attack, Lopes' losing skid hits 3

Wednesday, September 16

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 PM

Grand Canyon

2-5-0, 0-0-0

California Baptist

4-2-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
California Baptist	0	1	1
Grand Canyon	0	0	0

Photo by: Josh Fricke

9/16/2026 9:26:00 PM | Men's Soccer, Paul Coro

Box Score

GCU continues high-volume shooting with 17-10 edge on CBU

By: Paul Coro

The Grand Canyon results could be discouraging if the performance was not so encouraging in many ways.

The Lopes starting lineup includes six freshmen and was missing four regulars Wednesday night, but GCU outshot California Bapitst 17-10 before losing 1-0 at home.
Martin Luala

GCU is 2-5 despite outshooting each of its opponents this season. The Lopes entered Wednesday's match ranked fifth nationally at 19.3 shots per match and approached that average Wednesday night at GCU Stadium, where the Lancers extended their unbeaten streak against the Lopes to five matches with four shutouts.

A 61st-minute goal was the difference for CBU, which improved to 4-2 with its fourth shutout victory outside of losses to Duke and No. 10 San Diego. After the Lancers' go-ahead goal, the Lopes' shots hit a goalpost, were stopped by the goalkeeper or went high and wide to leave them with their third consecutive one-goal defeat.

GCU junior forward Alan Hermitte led his team with four shots in 54 minutes off the bench. The Frenchman became a regular second-half threat, starting with when he dribbled up the left side and passed through the goal box without a Lope getting to it in the 53rd minute.
Joao Goncalinho

After the Lopes went down 1-0, Hermitte came close to giving GCU an equalizer three times in the final minutes. He booted a left-footed strike over goal from the top of the 18-yard box in the 79th minute, delivered a header redirect pass to set up an Arnau Camaño header that was stopped at point-blank range in the 85th minute and shot wide off a well-placed pass from freshman midfielder João Gonçalinho in the 89th minute.

"We're getting there," Hermitte said. "We're working a lot. Every game we've played, we could've won and it would be deserved because we create so many chances. It's probably lack of attention. We should've scored. We controlled the game in so many phases. We're all disappointed because we want to get a dub and start a streak. We just need to be more clean in front of the goal."

The Lopes are executing much of their ball-control style by keeping possession and became more dangerous in the second half, when they took 13 shots. However, only three of GCU's 17 shots were on goal in the match Wednesday night. A top-10 team for corner kicks, the Lopes also nearly met that season average (8.2) too by taking seven against CBU.

In his second start, freshman goalkeeper AJ Mather-Nash of Ireland saved four shots, including a leaping first-half stop on an upper-90 shot headed for net in the first half. Before the Lancers took the lead, the Lopes had their chance to do so in the 49th minute when freshman forward Rafael Coet's long, hard shot was stopped by diving goalkeeper Ulrik Stroem.

The Lancers capitalized in the 61st minute when junior striker Blake D'Agostino, an MLS SuperDraft second-round pick whose three-game goal streak ended, won a 50-50 ball in the Lopes backfield. He passed to sophomore midfielder Nico Coope, who launched a shot that split two GCU defenders and beat Mather-Nash inside the left goalpost for his second career goal.

Of GCU's five losses, four have been by 1-0 or 2-1 scores.

"We move the opponent around," Hermitte said. "We just need to be cleaner in the last 18. We keep pushing. We know that conference is starting soon. We just need a good result to start a streak. I'm sure we are going to get there. There is so much encouraging stuff that I'm not concerned about us getting there. I am sure it's going to come."

The Lopes' final nonconference test comes Sunday at CSU Northridge before their Mountain West season begins Sept. 26 against UNLV at GCU Stadium.