🆚 Grand Canyon University
📆 Monday, September 7, 2026
⏰ 9:00 pm CT
🏟️ GCU Stadium – Phoenix, Arizona
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WATCH on MW NETWORK
📈 LIVE STATS
🗒️GAME NOTES
Houston Christian University concludes its three-match road swing with a trip to Phoenix, Arizona where the Huskies will take on former WAC foe Grand Canyon University. Kick-off at GCU Stadium is set for 9 pm CT.
The Huskies are now 1-3-1 after Friday night's 2-2 draw at Cal State Northridge, putting home a late penalty kick to draw even.
The Huskies took an early 1-0 lead courtesy of a
Callum Niven goal in the 31st minute. Off the counter attack,
Ryan Okerayi fed a through ball to the center of the field finding Niven, who put a shot to the low left after a couple of dribbles, giving HCU the early advantage.
CSUN would knot things up just a few minutes away from the intermission, then claimed the lead just nine seconds into the 79th minute.
HCU equalized just 13 seconds off the ensuing kick-off as Niven got his second score of the evening, putting home a shot from the spot. The penalty was earned as the Huskies kicked off and played the ball into the middle of the field where
Ricardo Garcia quickly fed over the top to
Clarenns Sainrimat, who was clattered in the box by the keeper.
Cal State Northridge would get three more chances in the final 10 minutes but none on target as the Huskies defense stiffened to preserve the tie.
Niven opened his HCU account with the brace, and led the Huskies with four shots, two on goal. Okerayi got his first assist of the season on the first goal by Niven.
Harvey Heeps had two saves for HCU.
Heading into that match at CSUN, HCU had faced the 12th-ranked strength of schedule, highlighted by a loss at then No. 5 ranked SMU last Monday night in Dallas. HCU is now 103rd in the RPI, the highest of any Ohio Valley Conference member.
Through five matches, the Huskies have still searching to find their stride on offense.
Callum Niven leads the club with two goals, both coming on Friday night, while
Ryan Okerayi has the team's other tally, a 75th minute game-winner from the spot in a 1-0 win over UMass Lowell. HCU is averaging 9.2 shots per match with 3.4 of those coming on target.
The defense has continued to through the tough early schedule, which has shown to be an offensive gauntlet of sorts.
Harvey Heeps has been solid in his debut season in the pipes after taking over from OVC Goalkeeper of the Year
Alex Aitken. He has 20 saves over the five matches, including a career-high nine against now No. 3 SMU last Monday.
The Huskies are coming off a second straight runner-up finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. HCU went 11-5-3 overall and advanced to the OVC title match where it fell at Lindenwood to the Lions in a penalty kick shootout. It was the most victories in a single season since the 1990 team won 14 and are now 10-5-5 in league play over the past two seasons.
Ryan Pratt enters his 10th season as the head coach of the Huskies, his 13th overall with the program. The Huskies were tabbed to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll.
The Huskies will be matching up with the Matadors for the first time. Friday will mark the 48th game all-time versus a California opponent, a number bolstered by HCU's 10-year affiliate membership in the WAC. The Huskies joined the Ohio Valley Conference for its inaugural season of soccer in 2023, also as an affiliate. HCU last ventured into California last year when it defeated UC San Diego 2-0 exactly one year to the day.
HCU and Grand Canyon meet in the final leg of the Huskies three-match road stretch. The game pits former WAC foes as the two battled from 2013-2022 in the now defunct conference. The Lopes lead the all-time series with the Huskies 9-2 and are now a member of the Mountain West Conference.
Jamie Davis is in his first year at the helm of the Lopes after serving as head coach at North Florida for the past two seasons. GCU returns several pieces from last year in senior midfielders Jorge Lopez and Martin Luala as well as junior forward Alan Hermitte.
Lopez has a goal and an assist thus far for the Lopes, now 2-2 on the season after Thursday's 7-2 home rout of Oakland. Arnau Camano has two goals to lead the offensive attack for GCU, both coming in the game on Thursday night.
GCU, which was ranked No. 22 in the preseason poll before dropping a 2-1 decision on opening night at No. 9 Stanford, puts Beltran Fernandez between the pipes. The fifth-year keeper is in his first season in Phoenix after transferring from Florida International. He had made 10 saves against 33 total shots and has a 2-2 record.
Following the match in Phoenix, the Huskies will be off for nine days. HCU will resume action on September 16 when it returns to Sorrels Field for a matchup with Florida Gulf Coast University in the penultimate non-conference game of the regular season.
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