GCU falls in four sets to CSUB

Friday, November 3

Phoenix, Ariz.

6:00 P.M.

Grand Canyon

8-16, 3-9 wac

CSU Bakersfield

15-12, 8-4 wac

CSU Bakersfield

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Michael Rincon

11/3/2017 8:33:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Mark Oshidari

PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team dropped a four set decision, 25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17 to CSU Bakersfield on Friday night in GCU Arena.

The Lopes got a strong match from Claire Kovensky with 19 kills and 11 digs, while Teagan DeFalco added 11 kills and 18 digs.

Natalie Tardy moved closer to the magic number of 1,000 career kills as the senior sent down eight kills to her tally. Tardy will enter the final conference weekend with 998 career kills and will attempt to set the mark against NM State and UTRGV.

The loss drops GCU to 8-16, 3-9 Western Athletic Conference, while CSUB improves to 15-12, 8-4 WAC.

Kayla Redfield led GCU with 30 assists and two aces, while Emma Ahern had a match-high 22 digs.

In the first set, GCU fell behind 13-8 but battled back to come within 21-18 and later 23-22 after a Kovensky kill. CSUB scored the final two points off GCU errors to take the set 25-22.

The second set was a tail of runs. CSUB led 11-5 before the Lopes scored nine straight points to lead 14-11. GCU led 20-17 after a DeFalco kill, but CSUB would rally to tie it at 23-23, and scored the final five points of the set, including back-to-back aces to win 25-23.

GCU owned the third set, scoring six of the first seven points and not looking back. GCU led by as many as 12 points, leading 20-8 after a Hannah Hicks kill. The Lopes cruised to the 25-17 win.

CSUB took control early in the fourth set, leading 9-1 and not giving GCU much chance to rally. The Lopes did pull within seven points but it was too late as CSUB won 25-17.

GCU is back in action on Thursday night when it hosts NM State in GCU Arena.