Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, January 19
Fullerton, CA
8 p.m.
Grand Canyon
at
Hope International
Sophomore middle hitter Chris Lockwood helped boost the Antelopes to a successful weekend.
Antelopes Up For Two Big Road Tests
1/19/2012 11:23:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
Coming off a week that saw it win the first-ever match against a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation team and tie a program record for consecutive wins, Grand Canyon goes to the road for tough tests with Hope International and California Baptist.
GCU (4-2) is looking to set a new mark for consecutive wins when it takes on the Hope International Royals 8 p.m. tonight at Darling Pavilion in Fullerton, Calif. The Antelopes have won four straight, tying a mark set in 2010, wrapping up a successful week Sunday with a 3-0 win against MPSF foe UC San Diego.
The Antelopes are 2-2 all-time against the Royals, falling 3-1 in Fullerton last season. Hope is 0-1 this season, losing a five-setter to Juniata last week.
“We’re playing with confidence and we should be,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “Hopefully it will carry over to where we still prepare and put the work in so that confidence will sustain itself.”
Grand Canyon goes into tonight’s match with numerous Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association individual stat leaders.
Freshman middle hitter Ryan Mather was named the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week and leads the league in blocks (1.44) and owns a .436 hitting percentage. Junior libero Trent Bruns leads the league in digs (2.67). As a team, Grand Canyon leads the conference in blocks (3.16), digs (10.68) and hitting percentage by opponents (.204).
The return of sophomore middle hitter Christopher Lockwood to the lineup has boosted the team, too. Lockwood entered in the fifth set of Friday’s match with NJIT and helped propel the ’Lopes to a 3-2 win. He’s back in the starting lineup and is averaging 2.75 kills and 1.12 blocks per set with an impressive .529 hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Keith Smith is second in the league in assists (11.83) and fifth in blocks (1.11). Outside hitters Ben Ponnet (3.89) and Jordon Tarantino (3.64) are third and sixth, respectively in kills per set.
In its season-opener, Hope International’s offense was led by two freshmen, Richard Harpole had 23 kills and Thomas Cervatti added 20.
Along with tonight’s test, GCU will be looking for a first-ever win against California Baptist 8 p.m. Friday at Van Dyne Gym in Riverside, Calif. The defending NAIA champions have won all five previous meetings. The Lancers are off to a 0-3 start, but that record is deceiving as the first three opponents on their schedule were No. 2 UC-Irvine, No. 5 USC and No. 12 UC Santa Barbara.
“They know how to win,” Price said of CBU. “(This week) will be a real challenge for us.”
JUCO newcomer Kristopher Johnson has been a force for the Lancers in the early season. The 6-foot-11 middle blocker averages 2.56 kills and 1.33 blocks per set with a .311 hitting percentage.
Fans can follow live stats from the Hope International match. Live stats and live video – for a fee – are available for the match with California Baptist.
Links are available at www.GCULopes.com.
Along with Mather's recognition by MIVA, the team was recognized in the men's volleyball poll on the web site OffTheBlock.
GCU (4-2) is looking to set a new mark for consecutive wins when it takes on the Hope International Royals 8 p.m. tonight at Darling Pavilion in Fullerton, Calif. The Antelopes have won four straight, tying a mark set in 2010, wrapping up a successful week Sunday with a 3-0 win against MPSF foe UC San Diego.
The Antelopes are 2-2 all-time against the Royals, falling 3-1 in Fullerton last season. Hope is 0-1 this season, losing a five-setter to Juniata last week.
“We’re playing with confidence and we should be,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “Hopefully it will carry over to where we still prepare and put the work in so that confidence will sustain itself.”
Grand Canyon goes into tonight’s match with numerous Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association individual stat leaders.
Freshman middle hitter Ryan Mather was named the MIVA Defensive Player of the Week and leads the league in blocks (1.44) and owns a .436 hitting percentage. Junior libero Trent Bruns leads the league in digs (2.67). As a team, Grand Canyon leads the conference in blocks (3.16), digs (10.68) and hitting percentage by opponents (.204).
The return of sophomore middle hitter Christopher Lockwood to the lineup has boosted the team, too. Lockwood entered in the fifth set of Friday’s match with NJIT and helped propel the ’Lopes to a 3-2 win. He’s back in the starting lineup and is averaging 2.75 kills and 1.12 blocks per set with an impressive .529 hitting percentage.
Sophomore setter Keith Smith is second in the league in assists (11.83) and fifth in blocks (1.11). Outside hitters Ben Ponnet (3.89) and Jordon Tarantino (3.64) are third and sixth, respectively in kills per set.
In its season-opener, Hope International’s offense was led by two freshmen, Richard Harpole had 23 kills and Thomas Cervatti added 20.
Along with tonight’s test, GCU will be looking for a first-ever win against California Baptist 8 p.m. Friday at Van Dyne Gym in Riverside, Calif. The defending NAIA champions have won all five previous meetings. The Lancers are off to a 0-3 start, but that record is deceiving as the first three opponents on their schedule were No. 2 UC-Irvine, No. 5 USC and No. 12 UC Santa Barbara.
“They know how to win,” Price said of CBU. “(This week) will be a real challenge for us.”
JUCO newcomer Kristopher Johnson has been a force for the Lancers in the early season. The 6-foot-11 middle blocker averages 2.56 kills and 1.33 blocks per set with a .311 hitting percentage.
Fans can follow live stats from the Hope International match. Live stats and live video – for a fee – are available for the match with California Baptist.
Links are available at www.GCULopes.com.
Along with Mather's recognition by MIVA, the team was recognized in the men's volleyball poll on the web site OffTheBlock.
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