GCU upsets No. 11 Ball State in five-set thriller

Thursday, March 2

Muncie, IN

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

9-8, 5-4MIVA

Ball State

14-4, 6-3MIVA

Grand Canyon

Ball State

3/2/2017 7:50:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

By: Samantha Fell

MUNCIE, IND. – GCU needed redemption after suffering a quick three-set loss to the Ball State Cardinals last night. They earned every bit of that redemption on Thursday evening. The Lopes battled through five sets to defeat No. 11 BSU 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 20-25, and 16-14. With the win, Grand Canyon improves to 10-8 for the season and remains in a tie for fourth place with Ball State in the MIVA.

After another slow start in the first set, GCU gained momentum in Set 2. The Lopes came out swinging in the second set and jumped out to a 13-9 lead. Drake Silbernagel and Shalev Saada led GCU during the set, each tallying three kills. Grand Canyon was impressive defensively, recording 3.5 team blocks and ten digs during the set. GCU went on to win 25-21, their first win of the matchup.

The third set was a back-and-forth battle between both teams. GCU gained an early 11-9 lead before the Cardinals rallied back to take a 21-19 advantage. A kill from Matthew Kinnebrew and two blocks from Saada regained the lead for GCU for good. Saada and Kinnebrew each knocked down kills in the final points of the set to secure the 25-23 win for the Lopes and put them ahead, up two sets to one.

After the fourth set went to the Cardinals, GCU came to play in the fifth and final set. With the scored tied at 11, Saada knocked down a huge kill then partnered with Ashton King to block BSU on the following play. Saada recorded two more kills to put the Lopes up 15-14 and then Cody Williams recorded the final kill of the contest to seal the five set victory for the Lopes.

Kinnebrew led the Lopes during the match with 13 kills and 10 digs. Saada followed closely with 12 kills and seven digs. Cullen Mosher added nine kills, seven digs, and three aces while Michael Milstein tallied 43 assists and nine digs. Libero Sky Engleman added eight kills for the contest.

GCU will take a well-deserved break for the next week and a half. The Lopes will return to action on March 10th and 11th as they travel to Lebanon, Ill. for two matchups with McKendree.