Lopes Win At No. 12 Ball State

Friday, March 13

Muncie, IN

4:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

12-7 (4-5MIVA)

Ball State

10-9 (4-4MIVA)

Grand Canyon

Ball State

Michael Milstein, left, had a career-high 55 assists and Christian Ward, right, had a season-best 10 kills in Friday's win over No. 12 Ball State.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

3/13/2015 8:34:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Grand Canyon won for the fifth straight time and second straight against a ranked conference opponent with a 3-2 victory over No. 12 Ball State at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind., Friday.

The Lopes (12-7, 4-5) won by set scores of 26-24, 24-26, 21-25, 25-19, 15-10. Ball State dropped to 10-9 and 4-4 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The two teams meet again 4:30 p.m. (Arizona Time) Saturday in Muncie.

"We played tough when it matter," said GCU coach Jeremy Price. "We're beginning a tough four-match road trip, so it's great to get the first one."

Freshman Shalev Saada had three fifth-set kills; his second gave GCU the lead for good at 2-1. Redshirt-junior Ryan Mather ended the match with the last of his match-high 18 kills.

Four Lopes had double-figures in kills. Following Mather, Saada had 16. Gerrard Lipscombe added 14 and middle hitter Christian Ward tallied 10, five in the last two sets. It was the first double-figure kill match from a middle this season.

"The bulk (seven) of Christian's kills came in the last three sets. It was great to get him going," added Price.

Along with rally from a 2-1 set deficit, the Lopes had to rally from the get-go.

In the first set, down 23-19 and later at set point, 24-23, Grand Canyon scored the final three points, getting a kill each – in order – by Lipscombe, Mather and Saada, all on assists from setter Michael Milstein to win the first set, 26-24. Milstein had a career-high 55 assists.

"The first set was key after being down 23-19. We executed a nice comeback," added Price. "We didn't take the second and third, but we played well in the fourth and fifth and really blocked well."

Both teams blocked well. Ball State finished with 16 blocks, one more than the Lopes. Redshirt-freshman middle hitter Ashton King led GCU with seven block assists. Lipscombe, Ward and Saada each had six. Milstein had five. Lipscombe led GCU in digs with nine. Mather had three service aces, while Milstein added two. The Lopes hit .230, while the Cardinals managed a .136 percentage. Ward hit .714 (10-0-14) and Lipscombe hit .321 (14-5-28).

"It's always nice to take the first one (in a two-match series), but we know we'll have to be better on Saturday," added Price.

GCU has won two straight in the MIVA. It beat then-No. 11 Ohio State, 3-2, at Antelope Gym on Feb. 28.

GCU 3, BSU 2