GCU mounts big rally but falls in five at UMKC

Saturday, October 8

Kansas City, Mo.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

4-13, 0-5WAC

Missouri-Kansas City

10-8, 3-2WAC

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Grand Canyon	14	17	25	25	12	2
UMKC	25	25	19	23	15	3

10/8/2016 1:51:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Mark Oshidari

KANSAS CITY – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team battled back from an 0-2 deficit to force a fifth set but fell to UMKC 25-14, 25-17, 19-25, 23-25, 15-12 on Saturday afternoon on the UMKC campus.

"Today we showed some resilience, battling back after the break," said head coach Tim Nollan. "It was nice to see us have three players reach double digits with digs. Heidi had a double-double with digs and assists, as did Jordyn with kills and digs. As our defense improves, we will continue to battle and push our opponents."

Katrice Pond led the Lopes with 21 kills with a .283 attack percentage. Jordyn Sanchez finished with 15 kills and 12 digs, while hitting at a .351 clip. Heidi Carpenter had 45 assists and 11 digs, while Sara Westerman had 12 digs. Hannah Hicks had a team-high six blocks to go along with six kills. Randahl Powers finished with nine kills and five digs.

Pond got the Lopes started with a kill, followed by a Carpenter ace and GCU had the first two points of the match. GCU's first five kills of the match came from five different players. Pond's second kill of the set put GCU ahead 8-7. UMKC would use a 6-1 run to open up a 15-10 advantage. The Roos would cruise to 25-14 win, hitting over .500 for the set.

In the second set, GCU scored six of the first eight points as Sanchez sent down consecutive kills to lead 6-2. GCU would extend the lead to 11-6 after a Pond kill and UMKC error. UMKC would go on a 9-2 run to lead 15-13 and the Lopes called timeout. The Roos would pull away from the Lopes and take the set 25-17.

In the third set, GCU took a 9-4 lead after a Pond kill. The Lopes extended the lead to 14-7 to put pressure on the Roos. Sanchez and Powers recorded kills to push GCU ahead 17-10 and force the Roos to call timeout. Pond sent a kill through the block and GCU was the first to 20, leading 20-12. Sanchez would end the set with a kill as GCU won 25-19. The Lopes hit at a .367 clip in the third, while holding the Roos to a .114 mark.

UMKC forced the Lopes to call an early timeout in the fourth set leading 6-2. Sanchez recorded a kill to pull GCU within 15-13 and give her a double-double in the match. Out of the UMKC timeout, the Roos scored three straight points to lead 18-13. GCU rallied quickly to tie the set at 19-19 after a Pond kill and a pair of UMKC attack errors.

Out of the UMKC timeout, the Lopes scored three quick points to lead 22-19, including a pair of Pond kills. UMKC pulled within 22-21, but Pond answered again to put the Lopes up 23-21. GCU would go on to take the set 25-23 and force the fifth.

Gracie Dimond and Pond started the scoring for the Lopes in the fifth set with a big block. Sanchez broke a 4-4 tie with a kill, her 13^th of the match. Hicks and Sanchez followed with a block and the Lopes led 6-4. After GCU built a three point lead, UMKC rallied to take an 8-7 lead as the teams switched sides.

The Roos made it eight straight points in the fifth set to go from trailing 7-4 to leading 12-7. GCU made it interesting, pulling within 14-12 but UMKC got the final point for the 15-12 win.

GCU returns home for two straight weeks. The Lopes host Seattle on Thursday, October 13 with a 6 PM first serve in Antelope Gym.