Bolstered by another strong game in goal by Kylie Martin, the Grand Canyon University Women's Club Soccer Team finally found its offense in the second half Saturday in Flagstaff, leading to win #1 of the young season – a 3-0 victory over Northern Arizona University.
 
With a new-look coaching staff and a young squad between the lines, the Lopes needed something to keep them in matches while trying to find their offensive rhythm. For the first two matches, it's been the Martin-led defense, which came into Saturday's matchup confident after suffocating defending conference champion Arizona State University Gold for 78 minutes a week ago before allowing the match's lone score in a 1-0 loss in the season opener.
 
Because of that, seeing zeros on both sides of the halftime scoreboard Saturday in Flagstaff didn't faze Lopes' Head Coach Vanessa Leyva or her players. GCU's Brittany Hahn – one of just three freshmen on GCU's top team – finally ended the scoreless tie with the Lopes' first goal with 30 minutes left in the match. Inspired, the Lopes' offense kept NAU on its heels, with two more underclassmen, sophomore Jennifer Merino and freshman Mallory Villars, finding the back of the net before the final horn. On the other side of the pitch, Martin – a sophomore herself – delivered her first shutout as a Lope and reduced her goals-against average to .50.
 
While it won't be the same ASU team, the Lopes (1-1 overall, 1-1 WCSA) now can exact a small measure of revenge in their next match as they head across town to Tempe this Sunday night to face off against the Sun Devils' second team, ASU Maroon, in another West Coast Soccer Association clash. That will be the final tuneup before GCU heads to San Diego, California, to shoot for its second straight Aztec Cup title October 11 and 12.