GCU edged in five sets against Seattle

Thursday, October 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-13, 0-5WAC

Seattle U

9-9, 2-3WAC

Seattle

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Darryl Webb

10/13/2016 8:25:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Mark Oshidari

The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team was close to a victory in its third consecutive five-set conference match but fell to Seattle 25-22, 25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 15-10 on Thursday night in Antelope Gym.

The Lopes closed both the third and fourth sets with long runs to pull even in the match. Seattle hit at a .338 clip in the match and .444 in the fifth set to hold off the Lopes.

GCU was led by Leigh Stonerook with 14 kills, while Heidi Carpenter nearly had a triple-double with 29 assists, nine digs and seven kills.

Randahl Powers had seven kills while Hannah Hicks finished with six kills. Chloe Jenkins led the Lopes with 11 digs and Gracie Dimond had a team-high three blocks.

In the first set, the Lopes trailed 10-6 after a Redhawk service ace. GCU tied the set up at 12-12 after a Powers kill. SU went up by four points at 18-14 after a GCU attack error. The Lopes did not go quietly, pulling within 19-17 after a pair of SU errors. GCU made one last run to pull within 24-22 after a Westerman ace, but Seattle got the final point at 25-22.

In the second set, GCU raced out to a 5-1 lead after a Sanchez service ace. The Lopes led 7-3 after a Powers kill. Seattle came back to tie up the set at 7-7. The set was tied as late as 17-17 before the Redhawks scored four straight points to lead 21-17. Seattle took the set 25-21.

In the third set, the Lopes scored four straight points which included kills from Hannah Hicks, Carpenter and Colley to give GCU an 8-6 lead and force SU to call an early timeout. After the Lopes led 15-14, Seattle scored three straight before Hicks stopped the run with a kill. The Hicks kill would trigger a 6-0 run and the Lopes opened up a 20-17 lead after a kill from Myria Colley. GCU ended the set on a combined 11-1 run for the 25-18 victory.

Seattle opened the fourth set taking a 13-9 lead after back-to-back service aces. Gracie Dimond pulled GCU within 16-14 after a block. Sanchez sent down a kill to pull GCU within 18-17 and the Lopes would finally pull even at 20-20 after an SU error. A Carpenter ace gave the Lopes the lead at 21-20 and the Redhawks called their final timeout. The Carpenter service run would continue as the Lopes claimed the set 25-21 and forced the decisive fifth set.

Seattle scored four straight points to lead 8-4 as the teams changed sides. Down by five points in the fifth, GCU pulled within three points at 10-7 after a Hicks kill. Seattle was too much in the fifth as the GCU rally came up short in the 15-10 loss.

It was the third consecutive five-set Western Athletic Conference match for the Lopes as GCU aims to win its first WAC match of the season. GCU is back in action on Saturday at 1 PM against Utah Valley in Antelope Gym.