Gajewski leads Lopes in setback

Saturday, November 25

Valparaiso, Ind.

1:00 P.M.

Grand Canyon

1-5

Valparaiso

2-1

Grand Canyon

Valparaiso

11/25/2017 3:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Four players tally double-digits

By: Sarah Woodward

VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Grand Canyon women's basketball team battled down to the wire in the fourth quarter at Valparaiso, but the Lopes (1-5, 0-0 WAC) suffered an 80-75 setback to the Crusaders (2-1, 0-0 MVC) on Saturday afternoon at the Athletics Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Redshirt senior Jessica Gajewski had a season-best 23 points off the bench in today's contest, leading the Lopes offense. The guard was 7-14 from the field with four 3-pointers and 5-6 from the free-throw line.

Three other players in senior guard Brie Mobley, redshirt senior transfer guard Jordan Jackson and redshirt senior guard August Touchard joined Gajewksi in double digits. Mobley had 16 points on the game, while Jackson had 13 and Touchard had 10.

Touchard led the Lopes in assists on the day with six, while freshman Myra Williams led in rebounding efforts with four in her third career start for GCU.

Freshman Camille Hailey was strong from the charity stripe, sinking 5-of-6 attempts for five points on the game.

The Lopes used a 12-3 run to take their first lead of the game, 20-19, to end the first quarter. GCU continued to fight through until halftime, as they trailed by just three, 44-41, heading to the locker room. Jackson was the star of the first 20 minutes of play, as the guard nailed 3-3 three-point attempts and tallied 11 points.

GCU was outscored 20-11 in the third, but came back with fire in the final quarter of play to outscore the Crusaders, 23-16, and bring the game down to the wire in the final possessions.

The Lopes came as close as a one-point deficit thanks to a pull-back jumper from Mobley, but Valparaiso used four-straight free throws to close out the game on top, 80-75, over GCU.

The Lopes return home for classes this week before heading back out for a two-game road trip at Florida Atlantic on Friday, Dec. 1 and Bethune-Cookman on Sunday, Dec. 3. GCU will play at home at the GCU Arena on Thursday, Dec. 7 against Long Beach State at 7 p.m. (MT).