CHICAGO — In its third home match at SeatGeek Stadium, the Chicago State women's soccer team (0-12, 0-10 WAC) fell, 6-1, to Grand Canyon (4-8, 4-4 WAC).
"Our team played well and I'm very proud," head coach Cristiano Costa said. "I know it's not the result we were expecting, but there will be another chance this weekend for a fresh start. Saturday, we will have another chance to win."
14 minutes in, Grand Canyon's Dani Babb tallied her third goal of the season, securing a successful strike on a tag-team assist from Raeanne Jones and Lindsey Prokop.
Eight minutes later, Jones scored her second goal in the last two games, finding an empty net off a rebound and rolling in a score to widen Grand Canyon's lead to 2-0 before the half.
After halftime, Hannah Edwards drilled in her first goal of the season off a corner kick, making the score 3-0, Antelopes.
In the 61st minute, however, the Cougars struck back. Sophomore Gisselle Sahagun broke through on a free run to the left side, approaching goalkeeper Jordan Ferguson in the goal box. Sahagun launched a strike to the upper-right part of the goal, past Ferguson and into the net. The goal was Sahagun's first of 2021.
In the subsequent 25 minutes, Grand Canyon racked up three more match-clinching goals. First, Jaycee Iranshad scored on another Jones assist. Camryn Larson then tacked on a strike in the 83rd minute, and Babb scored her second of the afternoon in the 86th.
The Antelopes ran away with a 6-1 win, their second consecutive victory.
Chicago State freshman goalkeeper Stella Chiara Chiaradia tallied seven saves, adding to her WAC-high 84 saves.
The Cougars and Antelopes will battle again at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The match will be carried live on the WAC Digital Network, with Sam Brief and head men's soccer coach Trevor Banks broadcasting the action.
