GCU comes up short in five set thriller in Seattle

Saturday, November 12

Seattle, Wash.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-21, 1-13WAC

Seattle U

13-14, 6-8WAC

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: Mike Centioli

11/12/2016 4:43:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Mark Oshidari

SEATTLE – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team took a 2-0 lead but could not put away Seattle as the Redhawks won the Western Athletic Conference finale 21-25, 26-28, 25-18, 25-19, 15-11 on Saturday afternoon on the SU campus.

"We lost a hard fought five set match on the road today," said head coach Tim Nollan. "We worked hard on the defensive side of the ball today, but could not convert enough offensively to win the match. We look forward to returning home for senior night next week."

The Lopes won the service game with 11 aces on the afternoon, let by Hannah Hicks with four. Jordyn Sanchez, Emma Ahern and Chloe Jenkins each had a pair of aces.

Randahl Powers led the Lopes with 11 kills while Leigh Stonerook added seven kills. Sanchez finished with six kills and 16 digs. Jenkins led the Lopes with 26 digs.

Heidi Carpenter finished with 29 assists, five digs and three kills. Hicks and Maria Adams led the Lopes with six blocks apiece.

GCU opened the match scoring three of the first four points. Seattle battled back to take an 11-6 lead before Sanchez ended the run with a kill. Two more SU points followed forcing GCU to call timeout trailing 13-7. Trailing by as many as seven points, GCU rallied to pull within 18-16 after a Sanchez kill and SU error. The Lopes would continue the rally and take a 20-18 lead after a pair of Emma Ahern aces. A Powers kill and Hannah Hicks ace pushed GCU ahead 23-20. The Lopes ended the set on a 12-3 run and won 25-21.

Adams and Stonerook got the Lopes started in set two with a block. GCU and SU would go back and forth exchanging sideouts before SU opened up a 10-7 advantage. The Lopes came right back and a Powers kill tied the set at 11-11 and the Redhawks called timeout. SU went up 16-12, but GCU stormed back after a Stonerook block and Jenkins ace to tie it at 16-16. The Lopes made it a 5-0 run after an SU attack error to take the lead. Down by two, the Lopes tied it after a point and Hicks ace. GCU would have three good swings at set point but Seattle answered to lead 27-26. Once again the Lopes did not go away and Stonerook came through with the final swing to give GCU the 28-26 win and 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, a Sanchez ace pushed GCU ahead 8-5. The Redhawks came back to take the lead at 13-12 after a pair of blocks. SU pulled ahead 17-14 and forced the Lopes to call timeout. GCU hit at a negative percentage and the Redhawks claimed the set 25-18.

After an early deficit in the fourth set, GCU tied it up at 8-8 after a kill by Stonerook. SU took a 16-13 lead and the Lopes called timeout. After GCU cut the deficit down to two, Seattle used a mini run to lead 21-17. Seattle would win the set 25-19.

In the fifth set, a block by Katrice Pond and Hicks gave GCU its first lead of the set at 2-1. Hicks served up an ace to give GCU a 5-3 lead, but SU responded with four straight points to take a 7-5 edge and GCU called timeout. The Lopes regained the lead on a kill by Pond to lead 9-8 and SU called timeout. Seattle pulled ahead 13-10 and the Lopes could not make one last rally as SU won 15-11.

GCU returns home next week for a non-conference match against Benedictine. The Thursday night match-up will be senior night for Chloe Jenkins, Leigh Stonerook, Gracie Dimond, Sara Westerman and Emily Christensen.