GCU Athletics

FLUSHING, NY (Sept. 12, 2026) - Georgian Court has fallen from the ranks of the unbeaten in the East Region. One of just three unbeaten teams left in the region entering the weekend, and the only one left in the CACC, the Lions fell Saturday evening on the road against fellow regionally-ranked foe, Queens. The Knights scored a pair in the first half, and they held up in the 3-1 win as GCU falls to 2-1-2 on the season.

How it Happened
• It was a very evenly played game as possession was nearly dead even with the Knights controlling for 51% of the match and the Lions 49%.
• Shot totals favored the Knights 15-11, but shots on goal were much more even at 8-7.
• Each team earned three corner kicks apiece. 
• Queens was whistled for 17 fouls to Georgian Court's 12. The Knights also doubled up the Lions in bookings, 2-1. 
1st Half
• There weren't many chances early, but each team had an opportunity to score.
• Gijs van Eif put a ball on goal that was saved in the very first minute of the game.
• Queens nearly took the lead in the eighth minute, with the ball connecting with the post and staying out.
• There were just six total shots in the first 23 minutes as the team's were chewing up the middle of the pitch.
• Queens broke the scoreless tie as Andrew Johnson from around the penalty dot scored to make it 1-0 Knights.
• Just six minutes later, Johnson struck again from nearly the same spot making it a two-goal lead.
• With less than 10 minutes to play until the half, the Lions scored to cut the lead in half.
• A foul inside the box gave GCU a penalty kick with van Eif walking up to the dot. Even though his shot was initially saved and parried back into play, van Eif was in place to bury the rebound.
• Neither team had a shot the rest of the half and Queens was up 2-1 after one.
2nd Half
• Shots still remained at a premium to start the second half. Neither team put anything towards the net in the first eight minutes.
• That changed as Keithlend Cesar went into the upper right corner, putting Queens back up by two, 3-1.
• Noah-Maxim Kleiser had no luck on a pair of chances shortly after the Knights goal.
• Just 71 seconds apart, Lennox Blue Lebelt made a save and was bailed out by the Knights' second post of the game, keeping the score at 3-1.
• Queens' defense was smothering in the latter stages of the match. The Lions got off just one shot on goal in the final 22:56 of the game, and Queens won by the 3-1 score. 

Lion Stat Leaders
• Gijs van Eif took a team-high five shots and scored.
• Noah-Maxim Kleiser ripped three shots with two on frame.
• Lennox Blue Lebelt made four saves.

For the Knights
• Andrew Johnson scored twice on five shots.
• Anton Mand, Taro Aboubakary and goalkeeper Stian Haugland all picked up an assist.
• Haugland also made four saves for the win.

News and Notes
• The Lions four-game unbeaten streak to start the season ends as the third-longest in program history.
• Gijs van Eif scored his 30th career goal. He joins only Michael Clarke and Louis Silva as Lions to score 30 career goals. 
• Joseph Juarez played in his 50th career game while Anthony Ryan appeared in his 20th.
• Yanis Achouri surpassed 1,000 minutes played at GCU.
• Georgian Court drops their fourth straight match to the Knights and fall to 2-5 all-time.
• This is just the second time in seven all-time matches both teams scored a goal in the same game.

Up Next
• The Lions have a pair of games next week starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 when they take on Roberts Wesleyan at 3 pm.