PHOENIX – Cal State Fullerton women's soccer fell 2-1 to the Grand Canyon Lopes on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix. The Titans scored a goal late in the match but missed on too many chances prior to recover from the Lopes taking a 2-0 lead early in the match.
GCU (3-7) took an early lead as McKenzie Cook scored in the 10th minute, capitalizing off a mistake from the Titans (3-5-1 on a goal kick.
The Lopes tacked on a second goal in the 19th minute when Cook fired a curling shot from distance to beat freshman goalkeeper Allison Poole's outstretched arms. Poole made her first-career start as a Titan and recorded two saves overall.
The Titans pulled one back in the 83rd thanks to a header from Kristen Swales off a corner kick. Kaya Hawkinson recorded the assist as she supplied the ball into the box and Swales skied above the rest to head the ball near post into the back of the net. It is the freshman's third goal of the season and Hawkinson's (also a freshman) second assist.
Fullerton created quality chances throughout the match but could not finish. To name a few, Dani Baldwin was in alone on goal a pair of times after great runs but was unable to beat the GCU goalkeeper. Nano Oronoz had a dangerous set piece from just outside the top of the 18-yard box but it went right into the GCU wall. Haley Brown had a driven shot from inside the penalty area but it was right at the goalkeeper and Amanda Larsson recovered a loose ball in the box off a corner kick but her shot was cleared off the line by a GCU defender.
The final match of this road swing for the Titans is set for Friday at San Diego at 7 p.m. PT. The squad then returns home for a three-match home stand beginning on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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