Lopes complete sweep of Quincy, move to 5-1 in league play

Saturday, February 11

Quincy, IL

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-5, 5-1MIVA

Quincy

3-8, 1-4MIVA

Grand Canyon

Quincy

Lopes complete sweep of Quincy, move to 5-1 in league play

2/11/2017 8:22:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Samantha Fell

QUINCY, Ill. – Head coach Matt Werle expressed the importance for GCU to win both games at Quincy this weekend. The Lopes did just that, edging out the Hawks in four sets on Saturday evening to complete the sweep. Grand Canyon now has a record of 5-1 in MIVA play and improves to 7-5 overall.

"Tonight the guys showed up to work," Werle praised. "We placed a big emphasis on our first contact as well as blocking. Team first!"

After a slow start on Friday night, the Lopes came out determined for a better beginning. GCU jumped out to an early 11-7 lead in the first set and kept the momentum rolling behind kills from every pin attacker. Cullen Mosher paced the Lopes with four kills on four attacks and the Lopes rolled to a 25-18 set victory.

Set 2 held more of the same for GCU. The Lopes again got out to an early lead, up 8-2, behind solid offensive attacking. Grand Canyon hit an impressive .625 as they managed 21 team kills. Shalev Saada had six kills during the set and Ashton King notched five. GCU dominated the set and won by a score of 25-16.

The Lopes struggled to maintain the same efficiency as errors plagued the team throughout the third set. Despite six kills from Drake Silbernagel, GCU was forced to play a fourth set after losing 22-25.

With one poor offensive set behind them, the Lopes never trailed in Set 4. King knocked down three straight kills to give GCU a 3-2 lead and they never looked back. Silbernagel went 5-for-5 in kills for the set and the Lopes pulled away for the 25-21 victory.

"Each guy understood their role and executed," Werle added. "Drake and Ashton were unstoppable as usual."

Silbernagel led the Lopes with 18 kills for the evening. He committed zero attacking errors and hit .783 for the game. Fellow middle hitter King trailed closely behind with 15 kills of his own. Saada also reached double-digits, recording 10 kills and nine digs. Defensively, libero Sky Engleman paced GCU with 12 digs.

GCU will return to Antelope Gymnasium for a break in MIVA action next week. The Lopes will play two matches on Saturday, Feb. 18. The first will be versus Benedictine Mesa at 11 a.m. and the second is against California Lutheran at 5 p.m. Both games will be broadcasted by GCU TV.