GCU Comeback Extends WIn Streak to Eight

Saturday, September 24

Phoenix, AZ

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Kaitlynn Ausmus

9/24/2011 7:13:00 PM | Volleyball

'Lopes Remain Unbeaten In PacWest

By: Steve Heath

Box Score

Grand Canyon (8-2, 2-0) extended its win streak to eight matches and remained unbeaten in Pacific West Conference play with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over visiting California Baptist (7-5, 1-1) Saturday at Antelope Gymnasium.

After losing the first two sets, 13-25, 23-25, GCU took control with 25-20, 25-19 and 15-8 victories.

“I told the girls before the match there would be roadblocks and obstacles and we’d have to learn from our mistakes,” said GCU coach Kris Naber. “Down 2-0 and coming back to win and win decisively in the fifth set showed that we overcame those obstacles.”

After hitting -.143 in the first set, GCU followed with attack averages of .286, 312, .323 and .375, respectively, in the remaining four sets. Grand Canyon hit .225 for the match and held Cal Baptist, who came into the match with the conference’s best hitting average (.253), to .191.

Janae Giles had 15 kills and eight digs. Brooke Blomenkamp had 11 kills and a .286 hitting average. Off the bench, sophomore Kaitlynn Ausmus had 10 kills, only one error, and a .333 attack percentage.

Junior middle hitter Shelby Taylor had eight kills on 15 attempts with no errors and a .533 percentage.

Setter Kristen Preach had 42 assists and 12 digs. Libero Mackenzie Phelps had 27 digs. Stephanie McBride and Ausmus each had two solo blocks.

“I told them to expect a battle and we were fortunate to win the battle,” added Naber.

GCU started its comeback in the second set; it just fell a little short. Down 18-12, GCU came back to tie it 22-22 on an Ausmus kill and again at 23 on a Cal Baptist service error.

The momentum carried over to the next three sets. Giles had six kills in the third. GCU trailed 14-11, but tied it on a Preach service ace, 15-15. Canyon took the lead for good, 20-19, on a Taylor kill.

Grand Canyon led all of the fourth set, getting four kills each from Blomenkamp and Ausmus. Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, the ’Lopes took advantage of three consecutive Lancer errors to lead 3-2. A Preach kill made it 4-2. Ausmus had kills for two of the final three points.

GCU continues its PacWest homestand Tuesday and Wednesday against Hawai’i Hilo and wrap up next week with Friday and Saturday contests with BYU-Hawai’i, all at Antelope Gymnasium.

At 2-0, GCU is in a three-way tie for the conference lead. Hawai’i Pacific is 3-1 – with its lone loss to GCU – and Hilo is 4-2. Academy of Art is 1-0 in league play with a game scheduled later Saturday at Dominican.