Antelopes Drop Heartbreaker in WAC Opener

Thursday, September 26

GCU Arena

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-6, 0-1

Kansas City

7-6, 1-0

Kansas City

Grand Canyon

Britta Forsythe (15) had a career-best 23 kills in Thursday's match with Kansas City.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

9/26/2013 10:53:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Ausmus, Forsythe Have 23 Kills Each

Despite career highs in kills, 23 each, from Britta Forsythe and Kaitlynn Ausmus, Grand Canyon fell 3-2 to Kansas City in the program's first-ever Western Athletic Conference match at GCU Arena Thursday.

The match had 14 ties each in the third and fourth sets and the teams combined for 228 digs. GCU (6-6, 0-1) lost by set scores of 29-27, 15-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-10.

There were seven lead changes in the third set and six in the fourth.

Ausmus added a career-best 22 digs and was one of three Antelope players with 20 or more digs. Libero Mackenzie Phelps had a match-best 38, while Megan Davis added a career-best 25.

"It really was a battle," said GCU coach Kris Naber. "You hate to lose when you have such a terrific effort from our girls. We just need to execute and do a better job finishing off sets."

For the match, there were 42 ties and 19 lead changes.

GCU jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the fifth. Four different players, Ausmus, Forsythe, Lanie Muys and Kristen Johannsen each had one kill. Muys and Forsythe also combined on a block, but the Kangaroos answered with the next four points and took the lead for good at 9-8.

The Antelopes staved off a match-point in the fourth and finished with the final three points to force a fifth set. Forsythe had a kill. Muys added a block and the set ended on Kansas City setting error.

"You could go up and down our lineup and talk about a lot of great performances," added Naber.

Along with Ausmus and Forsythe notching career highs, Muys did, as well, with 12 kills. She had tied her career high, twice, last week with 11 kills each in wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Arizona Christian.

Setters Jessica Posse (34) and Bree Davis (29) also reached career highs in assists.

Ausmus and Forsythe set season highs for GCU in kills. Shannon Dugan had a 20-kill match earlier in the season.

GCU heads on the road for its next two WAC matches. The Antelopes take on Chicago State at 11 a.m. Saturday and travel to Idaho on Monday. GCU's next home match is Wednesday against Seattle U at Antelope Gymnasium.

Fans can follow all the live action from Chicago State and Idaho with links available at www.GCULopes.com.

UMKC 3, GCU 2