Air Force women’s soccer will begin its Mountain West Conference play on the road against Grand Canyon University on Sunday, September 28. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT at GCU Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
This meeting marks only the third time Air Force and Grand Canyon have faced each other. The series is currently tied at one win apiece. Air Force secured a 1-0 victory in 2013, while Grand Canyon won their most recent matchup last season with a score of 2-0.
In their previous game, Air Force ended non-conference play with a 3-1 win over Northern Colorado at Cadet Soccer Stadium. Jordan Dillingham, AJ Heap, and Kendall Rippley each scored for the Falcons, and Addie Doyle recorded two assists—a career high for her in a single match. Goalkeeper Trishelle Lopez matched her career best with six saves.
The Falcons are averaging 1.25 goals per game this season and have scored ten goals overall. They average nearly 14.4 shots per game, with nine different players having found the net so far. Annika Jost leads the team with five points from two goals and an assist.
On defense, Dillingham has played a team-high 660 minutes this season and also contributed her first collegiate goal against Northern Colorado. Team captains Samantha Sharp and Raine Komata, along with Ava Carpentier, have played significant roles in midfield.
Freshmen forwards AJ Heap and Zahra Friess have made early impacts for Air Force; Heap scored her first collegiate goal against Northern Colorado after starting five matches this year, while Friess notched her first goal as a Falcon at Eastern Washington.
Freshman goalkeeper Trishelle Lopez has started six games this season, totaling 540 minutes in goal with a .743 save percentage from 26 saves. She posted her first collegiate shutout against Rutgers and was named USAFA’s Cadet Athlete of the Week following that performance.
Veteran goalkeeper Kylie McElroy started two matches earlier in the season—most recently at Gonzaga—where she achieved her first shutout of the year with seven saves.
As they enter conference play, Air Force ranks ninth in total shots (115) among Mountain West teams and sixth in saves (36). Addie Doyle is tied for ninth in assists within the conference (2), while Lopez’s average of 4.33 saves per game ranks fifth among conference goalkeepers.
Grand Canyon enters Sunday’s match with an overall record of 5-4 after losing to San Diego State in their Mountain West opener. Tatum Hofstetter leads GCU offensively with three goals and one assist this season. Goalkeeper Emma Knack has recorded five shutouts so far for the Lopes.
After facing Grand Canyon on Sunday, Air Force will return home to host Utah State on October 2 and Boise State on October 5 as part of their continued Mountain West schedule.
