Season comes to end in Irvine

Saturday, April 14

Irvine, Calif.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

18-11, 4-8MPSF

Concordia

16-14, 5-7MPSF

Team	1	2	3	Final F
GCU	20	21	23	0
Concordia, Irvine	25	25	25	3

4/14/2018 8:18:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Lopes fall to Concordia in MPSF Quarterfinals

By: Alex Nash

IRVINE, Calif. – Grand Canyon men's volleyball fell in the quarterfinals of its first-ever MPSF Tournament on Saturday night, losing to Concordia Irvine in straight sets. Set scores were 25-20, 25-21 and 25-23. The loss ends GCU's season with an 18-11 record while Concordia improves to 16-14 and advances to the semifinals.

Concordia led all categories except digs, but aces and blocks would be the biggest deciding factor. GCU had four total blocks and failed to record an ace while the Eagles put up 12 and seven in the categories, respectively. Lopes recorded 80 kills, 37 assists and 28 digs with a .237 hitting mark.

Luke Turner led all players with 13 kills and added a .556 hitting percentage and five digs. Shalev Saada and Caleb Blazer were next in kills with five each and Blazer also led the team in blocks with three. Saada and Turner split the lead in digs with five while Zachary Melcher led in assists with 21 and Puna Kaniho added 13 more.

The match started how one would expect a 4/5 seed matchup to be -- both teams fighting for an advantage but not budging until they were tied at six. From there, the Eagles used a four-point scoring run to gain momentum and force a GCU timeout. The Lopes would fight back to pull within two, 15-13, but it would not be enough as the Eagles used two scoring runs to take the 25-20 win.

Set two was more of the same to start tied at 10. This time it was the Lopes who broke away with a kill from Turner and a Blazer/Melcher block. Lopes kept momentum and held an 18-16 lead but Concordia responded. The Eagles used a 6-0 run to retake the lead and ultimately claim the set, 25-21.

The third set was the closest of the night and the best hitting set from both sides. With the score reading 13-13, Concordia recorded five of the next six points to swing momentum its way. As it has all season, GCU responded, bringing the match within a point thanks to a Cullen Mosher/Blazer block. Lopes looked to complete the comeback with the score at 24-23 but Mosher's final attack was blocked resulting in a set and match win for Concordia.

GCU's 18-win total ranks as the second most in program history, one of multiple program records set in 2018. The Lopes finish fifth in their inaugural MPSF season, one spot better than the preseason coaches' poll.