PHOENIX, ARIZONA – An early penalty kick set the tone in a non-conference men's soccer match between the University of the Incarnate Word and Grand Canyon University on Wednesday night.  The Lopes earned a penalty kick in the first 10 minutes and went on to win 3-2 at home.

The Cardinals (7-10-1) defeated the Lopes (5-11-3) earlier in the season, 3-1 in San Antonio and GCU had a mind to even up the season series right from the start.  Niki Jackson had a pair of chances in the first three minutes for the Lopes and then he drew a foul in the box in the eighth minute.  He then beat the goalkeeper on the ensuing penalty kick with a drive into the lower right corner.

The Lopes kept the Cardinals on the defensive for the next 20 minutes when they broke through for a second goal.  Jackson attacked into the left side of the box and then sent a cross that Alberto Sanchez Garcia sent home at 28:18.

The Cardinals responded with a goal just 11 seconds later.  Off the center kick, Alex de la Garza (Mission/Sharyland HS) sent a long cross from the right side of the field that went to a sprinting Ben Conway (Wigan, Eng./Hawkley Hall) who slotted it home past a diving goalkeeper.  Over the remainder of the first half it was the Cardinals that had the better run of play, but they could not get the equalizer.

Grand Canyon extended their lead to two goals again when Amare Thomas headed a cross from Jackson over the outstretched hands of UIW goalkeeper Kieran O'Boyle (Blackpool, Eng./St. Mary's Catholic) at 51:43.

The remainder of the match saw the Cardinals sending men forward in droves, but the GCU defense was up to the challenge.  They blocked a number of UIW shooting chances and generally frustrated the Cardinals attack.  UIW finally broke through with under four minutes remaining in regulation when defender Joe Brown (Nottingham, Eng./The Becket School) headed home a free kick from Victor Pinal (Dallas/Skyline HS) at 86:06.  The Cardinals pressed to get a tying goal, but were unable to create a good scoring chance before the final whistle blew.

The Cardinals had 18 shots in the contest with 12 coming in the second half while GCU fired 13 shots.  O'Boyle made five saves for UIW while Kendyl Day and Luca Licciardi combined for five saves for the Lopes.

The Cardinals close out their season in Phoenix on Friday night at 7 p.m. against Omaha.
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