Featuring another balanced offensive day, the 14^th-ranked Grand Canyon University Men's Rugby team ran away from the University of Utah in the first half Saturday at GCU Soccer Stadium on the GCU campus, and breezed to a 50-5 victory. The win upped the Lopes' record to 3-1, and it was the 3^rd time this season that the Lopes' margin of victory was 40 points or more.

Like in their previous match against Arizona State University, the Lopes established the tempo early, and never gave the Utes time to breathe – much less get numerous opportunities to score. Lopes' sophomore back Marcus Terzoli led the offensive charge, scoring two of GCU's first three tries in leading the Lopes to a 26-0 halftime lead, and recording his first career 'hat trick' with three tries in all. Lewis Case scored his 3^rd try of the season to get the Lopes off and running early in the first half. Lachlan Jackson, Juan Felan and Bryce Holladay all added to their existing try totals for the season, while freshman back Hunter Finlay found the zone for his first career try early in the 2^nd half. Freshman Ben Saunders went 5-for-8 on two-point conversion kicks.



















The Utes spoiled the Lopes' shutout with nine minutes left in the match as GCU was nearing the try zone as Utah's Jake Kinneeveauk intercepted a pass and ran it back for the score.
 
"We want energy, we want people to have fun, but we took our foot off the gas so many times today," said Lopes' Head Coach Sean O'Leary in a postgame interview with the Varsity Sports Show, who broadcast the match. "Of course, I'm happy with the result, but our performance needs a lot more work if we're going to compete at the highest level. We have to stay in the fight for 80 full minutes next week at UCLA."
 
The Lopes will head to Los Angeles, California next Saturday for a matchup against the Bruins, who are right behind the Lopes at #15 in the current Goff Rugby Report Division 1A Rankings, but who come off a 66-12 loss to 3^rd-ranked University of California-Berkeley Saturday. Speaking of the Bears, they will be the Lopes' next home opponent on Monday, February 19 at noon at GCU Stadium.