Courtesy of Grand Canyon Athletics
EUGENE, Ore. — All signs point up for GCU’s season trajectory after the Lopes took care of Oregon on Sunday afternoon, winning 2-0 and taking their record to 3-1 on the young season.
The Lopes jumped on Oregon early with two first-half goals. Defensively, GCU turned away 30 Oregon shots for zero scores — a defensive masterclass by the GCU backline and junior goalkeeper Emma Knack.
Grand Canyon has won three straight matches, all on the road via shutouts. Knack has been in goal for all 270 minutes of the win streak and has accumulated 23 saves in those matches.
“Super proud of Emma Knack,” said Lopes head coach Chris Cissell after his team beat Oregon for the second time in three seasons. “She absolutely balled out and made amazing save after amazing save today. We are lucky to have her.”
Knack, a transfer from South Dakota State, recorded 17 saves on a weekend road trip to the state of Oregon, which included her career-high 11 saves against Oregon.
The 11-save performance marks the fourth-most by a GCU goalkeeper in the Division I era. Knack made multiple phenomenal saves throughout the match, as Oregon fired off 30 shots total, including 19 second-half attempts as the Ducks faced a 2-0 deficit. Late in the match, graduate defender Kennedy Chambers added one more save of her own after a Knack deflection led to a rebound and second attempt at a goal.
The second half was possessed mostly by the Ducks, putting significant pressure on the GCU defensive third as they looked to come back from the 2-0 deficit. But the Lopes held their ground for the shutout with two goals in the first 20 minutes holding strong.
GCU’s offense had scored one goal per game entering Sunday’s match and waited just five minutes to strike against Oregon. Senior forward Hannah Smith did the honors for the Lopes, scoring off an entry pass to the top of the box from junior mid Madison Hamm, where Smith fired a shot off the outstretched gloves of the Ducks’ keeper for the opening goal.
Smith’s goal was the second of her career, and her first game-winning score. Hamm now leads the team in assists with a pair through four matches.
In the 20th minute, sophomore midfielder Tatum Hofstetter added to the fun with a jaw-dropping banger to the top-left quadrant of the goal from five yards behind the penalty box. The shot curved around the goalkeeper, making for a highlight-worthy score.
“Both goals were so great and crucial for us today,” Cissell said. “Smith’s was so big for her as a senior and a captain of this team, she’s really coming into her own this season. Tatum being able to score the way she did against the opponent she did — really proud of her as well.”
It was Hofstetter’s first career goal after transferring in from Ole Miss. Hofstetter has been a mainstay in the starting lineup as an attacking mid and added an assist to her body of work on the week in the Portland State match.
Cissell also credited his entire staff for the work and preparation put in for the 2-0 weekend in Oregon.
“Super proud of our players of course,” Cissell said. “Incredibly proud of my assistants and the work they put in this week, along with the support staff that made this week an incredible experience for our girls.”
The Lopes return home for two matches in the next 10 days, starting with Friday’s matchup against Sam Houston at GCU Stadium. The match is GCU’s Athlete Alumni Night. Idaho will follow on Sept. 11, where GCU’s student section will “March to the Match.”
