GCU Finishes Weekend with 4-0 Record

Saturday, February 11

GCU Arena

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-5

Johnson & Wales

0-7

Johnson and Wales

Grand Canyon

Freshman Ryan Olson had 18 kills in GCU's 3-0 win over Johnson and Wales Saturday.

2/11/2012 2:46:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Grand Canyon swept its four matches at GCU Arena with two more 3-0 wins Saturday over Johnson and Wales (1-7) and King College (5-7).

GCU (9-5) also had 3-0 wins over JWU and King on Friday.

In Saturday's matches, GCU opened with a 25-18, 25-20, 25-15 victory over Johnson and Wales. In the evening, the Antelopes won by set scores of 25-14, 25-17, 25-23 and are 7-0 at GCU Arena.

"I was pretty pleased," said GCU coach Jeremy Price, whose club exceeded last year's season win total with the win over King. "When you play four matches in two days, it's a physical grind and a mental grind.

"I'm not proud how we got there, but I'm proud the way the team responded down 12-6 (in the third set against King). We tied it 13-13 pretty quickly."

It was a rare challenge during the weekend. The second set win over JWU earlier in the day was the first time an opponent had reached 20 points.

Against Johnson and Wales, freshman outside hitter Ryan Olson had 18 kills and a .533 hitting percentage (18-2-30). Junior setter Brad Moore had 33 assists. GCU hit .364 for the match, with a set-best .419 in the third.

Moore also had two solo blocks and one block assist. Ben Ponnet and Robbie Brannick each had eight digs. Freshman libero Jared Morrison had seven digs. Brannick added nine kills and a .444 attack average (9-1-18). He had four kills in the third set.

The second set was the most competitive. There were 12 ties before GCU pulled away. Olson had five kills in the second. Ponnet had four.

Ponnet led the attack against King. He had 16 kills and a .355 attack average (16-5-31). Taylor Griffin had nine kills (9-2-15, .467) and a match-best nine digs. Taylor Galliano also had nine kills and two blocks. Setter Keith Smith had 39 assists, a team-best three blocks and a pair of kills. Junior libero Trent Bruns, the nation's leader in digs per set (2.97) had seven digs.

GCU hit .315 for the match and were over .400 the first two sets (.448 in the first and .407 in the second). The third set hitting average of .139 was the only set of the weekend where GCU hit under .300.

"I thought Brad (Moore) did a good job directing our offense against Johnson and Wales and Keith (Smith) did the same against King," Price said. "Anytime you hit the percentages we did this weekend, the setters are doing their job."

In the third set against King, the Tornado had a 12-6 lead. GCU rallied after getting a kill from freshman middle blocker Keaton Berry. The Antelopes scored six of the next seven points. Galliano had a kill and Smith and Christopher Lockwood combined for a pair of blocks.

GCU will open Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play next Saturday and Sunday against Quincy. The matches will be played at GCU Arena at 6 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday.

“The guys realize the season within the season starts now,” said Price. “We need to have a good week of practice."

“We’re constantly looking to achieve new goals,” added Price, noting the team’s ninth win of the season. “Our next goal is to play well in conference.’

GCU 3, JWU 0
GCU 3, KING 0