PHOENIX - The IUPUI men's soccer team found life in the desert unbearable as the Jaguars dropped a 3-0 decision at Grand Canyon on a warm September evening in front of nearly 2,500 fans. GCU forward Niki Jackson scored all three goals to vault the host Antelopes past the Jaguars.
GCU moved to 3-3 on the year while IUPUI dropped to 0-5 to start the campaign.
A missed assignment on the back line led to the game's first goal as the Jaguars left Jackson unaccounted for in a loose ball opportunity. The GCU junior rifled a shot just past hard charging sophomore goalie
Josh Gray from 12 yards out to put the hosts ahead 1-0. It remained a one-goal deficit until Jackson struck again early in the second half.
This time, Alexandros Halis slipped a pass between a pair of IUPUI backs to Jackson, who fought off a defender and rolled a shot past Gray for his fourth goal of the season. Nearly 15 minutes later, he made the hat trick official when he angled a header just over the endline off a Halis restart from 30 yards out.
Despite being held to just two
Uriel Macias shot attempts, the IUPUI attack was not completely bereft of scoring opportunities. Early in the half and down just a goal,
Alan Aguilar sparked a breakaway opportunity by intercepting a pass near midfield. The carom got Macias loose in transition, but the IUPUI attacker was unable to muster a shot as he attempted to cut the ball back inside to his left. Later,
Sean Siasia rolled a cross into dangerous territory from the right side, but the pass was a step behind a pair of IUPUI attackers.
Late in the match, junior forward
Pape Ndiaye put a similar cross into the GCU box, but was unable to connect with a fellow front runner.
Despite yielding three goals, Gray was strong between the posts, registering six saves, one shy of matching his career-high. Among them was a highlight reel job in the 78th minute as he slid to his right to deflect a shot from point blank range destined to sneak inside the near post. Late in the match, he engulfed a bullet from 15 yards out to continue to mitigate damage.
GCU goalie Kendyl Day didn't need a save to earn his second shutout of the season as neither of Macias' attempts were on frame.
IUPUI played without standout midfielder
Cristian Soto for the first time this season while freshman back
Nathan Silva made his regular season debut after missing four straight matches due to injury. In addition, sophomore
Jared O'Dell became the 18th different Jaguar to earn a starting role this season in just five games.
IUPUI will return home before then trekking down US 37 to face No. 3 Indiana on Tuesday night. That contest is slated for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on BTN Plus.
