Antelopes Drop Match To Second-Ranked Ramblers

Thursday, March 19

Chicago, IL

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

12-10, 4-8MIVA

Loyola Chicago

16-1, 8-1MIVA

Grand Canyon

Loyola Chicago

Shalev Saada

Photo by: Darryl Webb

3/19/2015 7:41:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Though competitive in all of the sets, including overtime in the second, Grand Canyon (12-10, 4-8), dropped a 3-0 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association decision to defending NCAA champion and second-ranked Loyola (16-1, 8-1) at Gentile Arena in Chicago Thursday.

GCU lost by set scores of 25-23, 26-24, 25-21.

"You never want to get swept," said GCU coach Jeremy Price. "It was a tough loss, a good match. They're a good team and they played the end-game well.
"When you play the defending national champion you have to finish and we did not. You have to give Loyola credit for that."

Freshman Shalev Saada had a match-best 14 kills, hitting .296 on 27 swings and six errors. He also added six digs. Ryan Mather had 10 hits and hit .381 on 21 attempts and two miscues. The Lopes other outside hitter, Gerrard Lipscombe, was efficient, as well, with nine kills and a .333 average, also on 21 attempts and two errors. Lipscombe was also part of four blocks.

Setter Michael Milstein had 36 assists and team highs for service aces (two) and digs (seven). Christian Ward had five blocks, including one solo.

Grand Canyon had 15 kills and hit .400 in the first set. Seven of Saada's kills came in the opening game. There were 20 ties and six lead changes in the first two sets. A Saada kill tied the first set, 23-23, but the Lopes followed with a service error and the Ramblers ended it with a block. The Lopes battled back from a 24-21 deficit in the second, tying the match with a Lipscombe service ace, but the Ramblers took control at 2-0 on a kill and service ace.

The Lopes return to Antelope Gym for a pair of 6 p.m. MIVA matches March 27-28 against Lindenwood.

LUC 3, GCU 0