GCU Beats Manhattan, Dartmouth

Saturday, September 14

Hanover, NH

9 a.m.

Grand Canyon

3-5

Manhattan

5-5

Manhattan

Grand Canyon

Kaitlynn Ausmus, left, and Mackenzie Phelps were selected to the Big Green Invitational All-Tournament team.

9/14/2013 11:30:00 AM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Antelopes Go 3-1 at Big Green Invitational

Grand Canyon (4-5) won twice in the Dartmouth Big Green Invitational at Leede Arena in Hanover, N.H., Saturday. The Antelopes opened with a 3-0 win over Manhattan and came from behind to beat host Dartmouth 3-2.

Against the Jaspers, GCU won by set scores of 25-21, 25-18, 25-19. It beat Dartmouth 17-25, 25-21, 15-25, 25-21, 15-13.

Senior outside hitter Kaitlynn Ausmus and junior libero Mackenzie Phelps were named to the all-tournament team.
"When you look at this trip, as a whole, there were a ton of individual and team accomplishments," said coach Kris Naber, whose club was one of three to go 3-1. Dartmouth, by a mere five points scored, was declared the invitational winner. Central Connecticut State, also 3-1, but beat GCU and lost to Dartmouth was third.

"We're coming home with a lot of solid play that we can build off of when we get back in the gym," Naber added. "Our players learned a lot about themselves as a team and I'm extremely proud of the entire group."

Playing the hosts in the final match of the invitational, GCU trailed 2-1 and were down 21-18 in the fourth set when it scored the final seven points. Shannon Dugan, who tallied a double-double with 17 kills and 11 digs, had a kill and one of her two service aces, while Ausmus combined for a block with Kristen Johannsen to tie the match. Two Dartmouth attack errors followed. Dugan got her second ace and Johannsen and Megan Davis finished the set and evened the match with a combo block.

GCU had to stave off a Dartmouth comeback in the fifth. The Antelopes led 10-6 before the Big Green tied it at 12. Ausmus had a kill for a 13-12 lead. She also finished the match with a kill. In between, Britta Forsythe and Lanie Muys had a combo block.

Dartmouth had its big rally in the third set, scoring 11 of the final 12 points.

Ausmus had a double-double with 14 kills and 14 digs. Phelps finished with 23 digs. Megan Davis had 15 digs and hit .316 with seven kills. Three setters had double figures in assists, led by Jessica Posse with 17. She added seven digs. Bree Davis had 13 assists and Marilyn Agae had 11 assists and nine digs. Muys had five assists and five blocks. Forsythe finished with six kills.

"We performed in the clutch situations and we stayed composed under pressure," said Naber.

Trailing 13-10 in the first set against Manhattan, GCU went on a 9-1 run to take a comfortable 19-14 lead. Megan Davis had two of her four service aces – tying her career-high – during the run. GCU took advantage of numerous Manhattan attack errors. Muys who had a career-high seven block assists, had two during the rally, one with Dugan and another with Forsythe.

GCU jumped out to a 19-5 lead in the second set and broke away after a 15-15 tie in the third.

Dugan finished with 12 kills, seven digs and four block assists. Muys, Forsythe and Ausmus each had eight kills. Phelps had 15 digs, while Megan Davis added 14. Posse had 17 assists and eight digs, while Bree Davis added 17 assists.

"Our focus and composure under pressure was good today," said Naber. "We took control of our side of the court and that allowed us to put pressure on them.

"A great performance from our ball club today."

GCU plays its first home matches of the season next week. The Antelopes host Arizona Christian 7 p.m. Wednesday at GCU Arena. They will host Louisiana-Monroe 7 p.m. Thursday at Antelope Gymnasium.

GCU 3, MC 0
GCU 3, DC 2