GCU Women’s Hockey Sweeps Denver, Claims First Place in WWCHL

The Grand Canyon University Women’s Hockey team extended its winning streak against the University of Denver to 14 games this weekend, securing sole possession of first place in the Western Women’s College Hockey League (WWCHL) with decisive victories on Saturday and Sunday.

Playing at AZ Ice Gilbert due to storm damage at their regular home rink, AZ Ice Arcadia, the Lopes dominated the Pioneers with a 10-0 win on Saturday and an 8-1 victory yesterday. Freshmen Haley Gray and Abigail Brigg each recorded their first collegiate “hat tricks” over the two-game series. Saturday’s game saw GCU overwhelm Denver with 74 shots on goal, while Sunday’s contest featured a strong defensive performance, limiting the Pioneers to just three shots on goal per period.

Saturday’s scoring began with a power-play goal from Taylor Zahalka, followed by goals from Abigail Brigg and Sophie Armit. Haley Gray then contributed three goals, assisted by Zahalka and Bridget Graybill, while Brooklyn Larsen and Alyssa Vollmin also found the net. Annika Olson earned the shutout victory, stopping all 17 shots she faced. Sunday saw Brigg score three goals, including two within six seconds of each other, and Jennae Szucs, Ava Johnson, Gray, Natalya Hooey, and Jenna Sorenson each added a goal. Vollmin recorded three assists in the game. This strong performance highlights the Lopes’ offensive capabilities and positions them as a top contender in the league; the WWCHL is a pathway to national competition for women’s club hockey teams.

The Lopes (5-1 overall, 4-0 WWCHL) are hopeful that repairs to AZ Ice Arcadia will be completed in time for their next home game, a Halloween weekend doubleheader against the University of Arizona. The teams will first meet in Tucson on October 31, followed by a game in Phoenix on November 1.