Antelopes Pick Up Pair of Five-Set Wins

Saturday, September 6

Spokane, WA

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-1

Montana State

2-3

Grand Canyon

Montana State

Freshman Natalie Tardy (15) and senior Shannon Dugan (6) had big days in GCU's wins over Montana State and Canisius.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

9/6/2014 8:08:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU outlasts Montana State, Canisius

Bouncing back from its first loss of the season, Grand Canyon picked up a pair of five-set wins in the Gonzaga Invitational Tournament in Spokane, Wash., Saturday.

GCU (5-1) defeated Montana State 3-2 (15-25, 25-21, 25-17, 13-25, 15-10) to start the day and Canisius 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-13, 25-18, 15-6) to end it.

"To get two wins is a good day. To see their maturity and the adjustments their making, make it a great day," said GCU coach Kris Naber. "We had a lot of different obstacles to overcome. Against Montana State, we got pounded in the fourth set and had to find a way to get momentum back in the fifth. Against Canisius, we had to battle back from being down 0-2."

In the opener, senior Shannon Dugan had a career-high 25 kills and added 12 digs and a service ace in the victory. Frosh Natalie Tardy was the stat leader against Canisius with career-bests in kills (19) and digs (26), recording her second double-double of the day.

Against Montana State (2-3), which beat WAC defending champion New Mexico State last week, the Antelopes scored six of the final seven points. Tied 9-9 in the fifth, Dugan and Tardy had back-to-back kills on assists from sophomore setter Michelle Steagall, getting her first start of the season. At 12-10, sophomore middle blocker Hannah Hankins had a kill. Dugan followed with a service ace. The match ended on a combo block from Hankins and Tardy.

Tardy had 16 kills and 14 digs. Senior libero Mackenzie Phelps had a match-best 17 digs. Hankins had six kills and six blocks. Steagall had 49 assists.

GCU had less blocks (9-7), less digs (68-67) and didn't finish with as strong of a hitting percentage (.179-.230) or sideout percentage (56.0-59.0) as the Bobcats, but the Antelopes had a big advantage in kills, 59-49, and also had more service aces (5-3).

"Our composure was phenomenal," added Naber. "We had a ton of confidence on the floor in the fifth set."

Though it lost the first two sets, Grand Canyon dominated the last three against Canisius (0-6), winning by 12, seven and nine points, respectively. Dugan joined Tardy in getting a pair of double-doubles, notching 19 kills and 14 digs. Phelps finished with 31 digs and three service aces. Steagall added a career-best 56 assists. Hankins had a career-high 10 kills to go with three block assists. Frosh middle Hannah Hicks had career bests in kills (nine) and blocks (five). Senior Hayleigh Friemoth, in her first action of the season Saturday, had two service aces and eight digs.

GCU led in kills (62-46), hitting percentage (.207-.096), service aces (5-2), digs (92-83), blocks (8-5) and sideout percentage (68.0-54.0). The Antelopes were 73 percent or better in siding out in the last three sets.

"Down 0-2, they had to decide to either fight back or decide that was going to be too hard," said Naber. "Give them credit, they trusted the system and made adjustments. We had great execution in the fifth set."

Both Dugan and Tandy were selected to the all-tournament team.

GCU has three matches in Flagstaff next weekend. It opens with an 11 a.m. contest Friday against host Northern Arizona and takes on Albany at 3:30 p.m. The weekend wraps up Saturday with a 10 a.m. contest against UC Riverside.

GCU 3, MSU 2
GCU 3, CC 2