Large Turnout at Purple-Black Match Builds Anticipation for 2015 Season

Saturday, August 22

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Purple-Black Match

GCU honoring All-Americans

Photo by: Darryl Webb

Large Turnout at Purple-Black Match Builds Anticipation for 2015 Season

8/22/2015 8:46:00 PM | Volleyball

The Grand Canyon University women's volleyball team competed in front of a large crowd in Antelope Gymnasium tonight for their annual Purple-Black Match. Between the second and third sets, the team also honored the five All-Americans who have competed in the program's history.

"The atmosphere tonight was absolutely amazing for the first time meeting of the 2015 team," said head coach Kris Naber. "Our goal tonight was to come out and be really disciplined in our game, play with high energy, and do the things that we've been working on the past few weeks."

The match featured a three-set competition between the two squads.

Black won the opening set 25-22. The squad included returning players such as redshirt-junior Leigh Stonerook and sophomores Natalie Tardy, Gracie Dimond, and Randahl Powers alongside incoming freshmen Hailey Morin and Katrice Pond.

Purple came back to take the second set 25-17 uniting returning athletes such as Megan Byrnes, Hannah Hicks, and Emily Vitel with newcomers Haley Glass, Melody Horton, and Jordyn Sanchez.

Purple ultimately won the match with a 25-19 victory in the final set.

"We saw some really good things out of some young players and some good things out of some returning players," continued Naber. "I feel like we can go back and put the pieces of the puzzle together to head into Nebraska."
During the event, GCU recognized former volleyball players Mackenzie Phelps, Kristen Preach, Nicole Cyrus, and Sherry Beckstead along with head coach Kris Naber for their All-American achievements during their careers as an Antelope.

"The recognition for the All-Americans was really special tonight," Naber explained. "Three of those I've coached and one I actually played with so it was really special to bring them back in the gym tonight and give them a little taste of what they started building years ago when they played here."

The Lopes will open the regular season at the Nebraska Invite in Lincoln, Neb., on Aug. 28-29. During the tournament, they will take on Pittsburgh, Nebraska, and Tulsa, beginning with Pittsburgh at 2:30 p.m. on the 28th.

"Again, the support from the band, the cheerleaders, the student section, and the fans was fantastic," concluded Naber. "Hopefully they left here seeing what GCU volleyball is all about. We're going to play hard, do the little things right, and we're going to come away being pretty successful."