Senior Day Success; 'Lopes win 7th straight

Saturday, November 7

W 3-0

Grand Canyon

Academy of Art

11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball

It started with recognition of four outstanding seniors and ended with the team's seventh straight win.

Grand Canyon University's volleyball team Senior Day was officially a success.

GCU defeated Academy of Art 3-0 at Antelope Gym Saturday. The Antelopes won by set scores of 25-12, 25-23, 25-23.

Grand Canyon improved to 19-8 overall and 8-6 in the Pacific West Conference. The 19 wins are the most since the team went 25-7 in 1999. Along with winning its seventh straight match, GCU has won 10 of its last 11 contests.

Fitting on Senior Day, senior Whitney Estes (pictured, Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) led GCU with 11 kills and a .455 attack average and three block assists. Senior Dana Edington (Peoria, Ariz./Centennial) had seven kills, a solo block and two block assists. Edington moved up to a fourth-place tie on the 'Lopes all-time kill list with 1,008, equalling Mandy Forrest (2000-03).

Senior defensive specialist Vicky Bauler (Phoenix, Ariz./Agua Fria) had seven digs and three service aces. The team's other senior Jenna Skadeland (Williston, N.D./Williston) is out for the season, due to injury. Prior to her injury, she was leading the PacWest in blocks and was No. 6 in the nation.

In Saturday's win, freshman setter Kristen Preach (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier Prep) led with 34 assists, three service aces and nine digs. Freshmen Shelby Taylor (Phoenix, Ariz./Christian), Katie Peterson (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge) and Erica Ehlo (Spokane, Wash./Lewis and Clark) each had seven kills.

Ehlo added seven digs. Peterson had five block assists. Taylor, Estes and Ehlo each had three. Sophomore libero Laurann Durbin (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunnyslope) had six digs giving her 527 for the season, three shy of her school record of 530 set last season.

GCU finishes the season at Dominican Nov. 13-14.

Academy of Art drops to 17-14 overall and 4-10 in the PacWest. Dan Yang had 17 kills.