PHOENIX — Competing in the program's first-ever Western Athletic Conference Tournament, the sixth-seeded Chicago State women's soccer team fell, 5-1, to No. 3 Grand Canyon Tuesday night.
The hosting Antelopes struck early in the match at their home GCU Stadium. Two minutes in, Raeanne Jones headed in a bouncing ball off of a corner kick to pull Grand Canyon ahead, 1-0.
Then, in the 14th minute, Hannah Edwards launched a high-arcing pass from near midfield, setting up Jaycee Iranshad for a clean right-footed strike from the box that snuck past
Stella Chiara Chiaradia for a score.
Grand Canyon's Dani Babb then tacked on a third goal for the home squad to give the Antelopes a commanding 3-0 halftime lead.
Five minutes after halftime, Iranshad struck again, launching a left-footed boot to the upper-left portion of the net. Her second goal made it 4-0, Antelopes.
But moments later, Maria de la Fuente entered a pass to West Chicago native
Barbara Castellanos, Chicago State's sophomore midfielder who earlier this week earned All-WAC postseason honors. Castellanos drilled in her team-leading third goal of the season.
The score served as Chicago State's first goal at a WAC Soccer Tournament, men's or women's.
In spite of Grand Canyon's commanding lead, the Cougars did continue to sustain a few scoring opportunities, as Preseason All-WAC forward
Sara Quevedo tallied two shots on goal.
But in the 65th minute, GCU's Jones earned a penalty kick opportunity after a Chicago State foul. The sophomore rolled the ball past Chiaradia to the left, extending the lead to 5-1.
A fitting finish for a gritty team that has battled dutifully to the end all season, the Cougars struck one final time. Quevedo fed a pass to sophomore midfielder
Gisselle Sahagun, a Mundelein, Illinois native. Sahagun, who last scored on March 25 against Grand Canyon, splashed in her second goal of the season past goalkeeper Jordan Ferguson, narrowing the score to 5-2, which held to the closing whistle.
Quevedo's two shots on goal led the Cougars, with Castellanos, Sahagun,
Mary Perez Aguire and
Julia Oliveira joining her. Chiaradia registered nine saves, extending her conference-pacing total.
With the loss, the Cougars' 2021 campaign comes to a close. Castellanos, Quevedo, Sahagun and captain
Carmen Acedo all scored goals for Chicago State. Chiaradia's 126 regular-season saves, meanwhile, led all WAC goalkeepers.
