Antelopes Pick Up 5-Set Win at Azusa

Saturday, October 6

Azusa, CA

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Azusa Pacific

10/6/2012 9:17:00 PM | Volleyball

An 8-0 run to end the match propelled No. 13 Grand Canyon (15-3, 5-3) to a 3-2 Pacific West

Conference women’s volleyball victory over host Azusa Pacific (11-6, 3-4) at Felix Event Center in Azusa, Calif. Saturday.

The Antelopes won by set scores of 22-25, 25-15, 25-23, 14-25, 15-8.

“It was a great comeback win,” said GCU coach Kris Naber. “We went into tonight with a different mentality (than last night’s 3-2 loss to California Baptist). We battled every point and weren’t concerned about mistakes.

“We focused on our sideout game and bouncing back after errors. Volleyball can be a long game with a lot of momentum switches and (against California Baptist) we got caught up in that and let our errors pile up on one another.”

GCU trailed 8-7 in the fifth before running off the next eight points. Senior outside hitter Janae Giles had three kills during the match-clinching rally. Senior setter Kristen Preach also had a kill. Kristen Johannsen had a service ace and Shelby Taylor had a solo block and combined on another with Kaitlynn Ausmus. The final point of the match came on an Azusa attack error.

Grand Canyon had a 7-0 run in the third set, down 20-15.

Five different players had kills during the third-set comeback, including Taylor, Giles, Johannsen, Ausmus and Caelen Hiller. Johannsen and Ausmus combined on a block and the final point came on an Azusa attack error.

The Antelopes dominated blocking with 23 blocks (five solos) to the Cougars 11 (three solos).

“Our blocking turned the game around,” said Naber.

Grand Canyon also out-hit the hosts .230 (60-20-174) to .186 (64-28-194) and had more digs (88-85) and service aces (6-5).

Senior Giles had 13 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore libero Mackenzie Phelps had 34 digs. Taylor had eight kills and six blocks, including one solo. Johannsen had nine kills and five blocks, including two solos.

Like Taylor, sophomore Ausmus came off the bench to spark the Antelopes. Ausmus finished with 11 kills. Taylor hit .583 with only one error in 12 attempts. Hiller had seven kills and 13 digs.

“It really shows the depth of our program,” said Naber of her bench-play. “Those three were game-changers and they really sparked us in different ways; Caelen with her composure, Kaitlynn with her offense and Shelby with her blocking.

Preach had 45 assists, 12 digs and five kills. She also had a solo block and three block assists.

Lanie Muys had two of GCU’s six service aces. Sara Bowden added 10 digs and Hayleigh Friemoth added five kills.

Grand Canyon hosts Holy Names 6 p.m. Thursday at Antelope Gymnasium. The match is the start of a long home stretch that has the Antelopes home for eight of their next nine matches, before wrapping up the regular season on the road at Dixie State.

GCU 3, APU 2