Eight is enough for GCU five-set victory

Tuesday, September 7

GCU

6:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Western New Mexico University

Kristen Preach

9/7/2010 11:36:20 PM | Women's Volleyball

GCU scores final eight points to take match

By: Steve Heath

Trailing 12-7 in the fifth set, Grand Canyon scored the matches final eight points to post a 3-2 victory over Western New Mexico in the home opener at Antelope Gymnasium Tuesday.
GCU (2-3) won by set scores of 28-26, 15-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-12.
"Something clicked and we were doing everything," said sophomore setter Kristen Preach (Phoenix, AZ, Xavier Prep). "We were blocking and our hitting and passing was amazing. We picked up on their outside hitter (on defense)."
A series of digs from junior libero Laurann Durbin (Phoenix, AZ, Sunnyslope) on Mustang standout hitter Natali Murdock led to a kill from sophomore outside hitter Erica Ehlo (Spokane, WA, Lewis and Clark) to cut the fifth set score to 12-9.
Preach and Shelby Taylor (Phoenix, AZ, Christian), then Taylor and Megan Toth (Phoenix, AZ, Arcadia), followed with blocks to cut it to 12-11. A bad set by WNMU tied the match and Preach, from Durbin, got a kill to take the lead. Toth and Preach followed with kills to wrap up the match.
"We talked about pride, drive and finding a way to win and hat extra drive inside to win," said GCU coach Kris Naber. "I saw that out of a lot of them tonight. Our entire 19 (players) were great tonight."
It wasn't the 'Lopes first rally of the night. They trailed in sets 2-1 heading into the fourth. Toth had three kills in the first five points and Toth and Taylor combined on a block to lead GCU to a quick 5-0 lead.
GCU got in a quick 3-0 hole in the fifth before a Taylor block got the 'Lopes on the board, but it was the lengthy point that cut it to 12-9 that was the biggest momentum shifter.
"That was a ridiculous point," said Preach. "It was a huge turning point. I think we were errorless in that second half (of the set),"
"LA (Durbin) picked up her back (row) play in the fifth set," added Naber.
Durbin finished with 26 digs, one shy of Ashley Handley (2003-06) for third on the school's all-time list, to give her 1,215 for her career. She is 130 digs from tying the school's all-time record of 1,345 held by Amber LaTarte (1996-99).
Junior Stephanie McBride (Newbury Park, CA, Newbury Park) led the 'Lopes in kills with 14. She finished with an impressive .276 hitting percentage. Toth had 13 kills, in four games, and a .370 average to go with nine digs. Preach finished with 42 assists, seven kills, nine digs and three block assists.
Ehlo had eight kills and 10 digs. Taylor had three solo blocks and five block assists to go with five kills. Junior Brooke Blomenkamp (Gering, NE, Gering) added eight digs.
GCU travels to the Marriott Mountain Lion Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. for four matches in two days Friday and Saturday. GCU opens Friday against Lees-McRae.