Lopes Triumphant in Overtime at Sac State

September 19, 2014

For the third time in five games this season, the Grand Canyon University men's soccer team (2-3-0) played into extra minutes, this time staking a 1-0 victory over Sacramento State (2-3-1) in overtime at Hornet Field in Sacramento, Calif.

The game was part of the semi-annual Copa de Causeway, a four team, two-site weekend tournament hosted by Sacramento State and UC Davis. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a tie to determine a champion while an all-Tournament team will also be announced following Sunday's games. If UC Davis defeats Air Force later tonight, they will compete with GCU for the tournament title on Sunday.

GCU and Sacramento State had played to a scoreless tie over the first 90 minutes and looked to be heading into a second overtime period before Kyle Summerhill found the back of the net with just over two minutes remaining in the first overtime.

"It was time to win an overtime game, we have played well enough to win more games this season, and today we did it," said head coach Petar Draksin. "This was a must win for us. I am proud of the young men. And we are going to keep fighting and keep playing. Every game we are going to be committed to be successful and get a win."

The Antelopes outshot Sacramento State 15-9 for the game and also held the advantage in shots on goal (5-3). Niki Jackson led the GCU offense with seven shots, including three on target. Summerhill and Alberto Sanchez Garcia also had a shot on goal in the contest.

The Lopes pressured the Hornets' defense for much of the first half, taking eight shots while limiting Sacramento State to just three. Both teams put two shots on target in the first 45 minutes although neither was able to find the back of the net.

Jackson was responsible for half of GCU's first half shots, while he and Sanchez Garcia each had one shot on goal.

The second half saw the teams trade shots as GCU held the narrow 5-4 advantage. Both keepers kept the opposing team off the board as they tallied three saves apiece through 90 minutes of play.

GCU scored the game-winner in the 98th minute on Summerhill's first goal of the season on an assist from Jackson. It was the first overtime win for the Lopes this season and their first away from the friendly confines of GCU Soccer Field.

"This is a learning process, but ultimately we want to get wins," added Draksin. "We have a tough schedule, and we are growing every game. We are building on our speed of play. At the end of the game, we addressed character because we were tired of losing in overtime. We need to step up and get a win and today we did that."

The Lopes will next be in action when they take on UC Davis on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Sacramento. The Aggies are a familiar foe as the two teams faced each other when both were members of the CCAA from 1992-2003. Fans can follow the action via live stats by visiting www.gculopes.com.

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