GCU hangs tough against Arizona

Friday, September 1

Tucson, Ariz.

7:00 P.M.

Grand Canyon

3-2

Arizona

4-1

Grand Canyon

Arizona

Photo by: Chris Hook

9/1/2017 8:46:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

By: Mark Oshidari

TUCSON – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team fell to Arizona 25-22, 25-19, 25-9 on Friday night at the McKale Center. GCU pushed the Wildcats in the first two sets, but overall Arizona proved too tough down the stretch.

"This was a match where we showed our kids what a top-30 team in the country is," said head coach Tim Nollan. "This is the level we are working to get to. For two sets we did a good job of playing hard and making them earn their points."

With the loss, GCU drops to 3-2 on the season and will conclude the Cactus Classic on Saturday.

Teagan DeFalco led GCU with 10 kills and six digs. Claire Kovensky added eight kills and six digs. Emma Ahern had 10 digs while Heidi Carpenter finished with 16 assists and six digs.

GCU held Arizona in check for most of the first two sets, before the Wildcats broke through in the final set.

The Lopes got off to a slow start in the first set, with Powers getting GCU's first kill as the Lopes trailed 6-2. An ace by Kayla Redfield pulled SMC within two, but U of A went on a run to push the lead to 13-8, forcing the Lopes to call timeout. GCU scored three straight out of the timeout as a block by Hannah Hicks and a Wildcats error pulled the Lopes within 13-11. GCU pulled within 22-19 after a Hicks and DeFalco block to force Arizona to call a late timeout. The Lopes came within 22-21 after a DeFalco kill and the 'Cats called their final timeout. Arizona would end up holding off the GCU charge 25-22.

In the second set, the 'Cats jumped out to an early 8-3 lead. GCU scored four straight to pull within 8-7 after DeFalco sent down an overpass. The Lopes would pull even at 10-10 after a DeFalco kill. GCU would get its first lead of the night on a cross court kill by Kovensky as the Lopes would lead 14-12. Arizona retook the lead 17-16 after a GCU error. The Wildcats would take set two 25-19.

Arizona scored the first seven points of the third set and would be tough to stop. The Wildcats hit at a .600 clip in the third set and won 25-9.

GCU is back in action on Saturday, facing Eastern Kentucky at 11 AM in Tucson.