GCU men’s soccer ready to host Denver in NCAA Tournament
It’s not just talent and coaching that could give Grand Canyon its first NCAA Tournament win in men’s soccer.
It’s the electric current of students, the loud and proud Havocs, who will be helping GCU crash through in the first round Thursday night when the Antelopes play host to Denver at 7 p.m.
“I’ve been in some great places, where soccer is one of the main sports, but this atmosphere here is incredible and will help,” said first-year coach Leonard Griffin, who played at UCLA, assisted there, along with California and Saint Mary’s, schools that reached the Elite Eight of college soccer. “The students create a special environment for you.”
GCU, 15-3-1, will try to take advantage of what Griffin calls “the 12th man,” in what is expected to be a sellout crowd with this being the first NCAA Tournament event hosted by the Antelopes.
They figured to be in the 64-team tournament, even after losing on penalty kicks to Seattle U in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, after ranking fifth nationally with 44 goals and seventh in save percentage at 81%.
When they found out they’re at home, they felt even better.
The Lopes lost a 2-0 lead late in regulation, and, after two scoreless overtime periods, they lost 4-3 on penalty kicks to Seattle.
“We look at that as a learning moment,” Griffin said. “We didn’t lose. We just learned. We’ll use it as a learning moment.”
This is the 11th NCAA Tournament appearance for Denver (9-3-5), which is coached by Jamie Franks, who is in his seventh season.
The Pioneers reached the tournament last year, only to have to withdraw before its first-round game against UNC Greensboro due to COVID-19.
This is the first time GCU has met Denver as a Division I school. They last met in 1996, when GCU won 3-2.
In its last three matches, Denver took it to penalties kicks, winning the last two Summit League tournament games.
“It’s going to be a really tough matchup,” Griffin said. “I’ve seen Denver a couple of times in my history of college soccer. They have a strong head coach in Jamie Franks. They’re tactically organized. You have to show up and put your best effort, battle for 90 minutes.”
GCU is led by WAC Defensive Player of the Year Easai Easley, who helped GCU win its second consecutive WAC regular season.
He never left the field early in the season in a 1-0 win against Oregon State, which is the top seed in the tournament.
Easley has help from Shaun-Chris Joash, a junior transfer from Hampton Hill, England, who scored six goals in WAC play; and Justin Rasmussen, a Las Vegas native, who leads the Lopes with eight goals, six assists, 22 points and 3 shots.
If they win, they could be sent to Clemson to play the Tigers on Sunday.