Lopes play sharply in sweep

Friday, September 7

Newark, DE

7 a.m.

Grand Canyon

5-2

Columbia

1-3

Columbia

Grand Canyon

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

9/7/2018 8:38:00 AM | Volleyball

Box Score

GCU records season-high hitting percentage

By: Mark Oshidari

NEWARK, Del. – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team hit at a .321 clip to defeat Columbia 26-24, 25-17, 25-12 in its Friday opening match of the Blue Hen Invitational at Delaware.

The Lopes (5-2) hit .308 or better in every set, led by sophomore setter Molly Feldmeth's season-high 26 assists, three kills and three digs.

GCU freshman outside hitter KJ Adams just missed a double-double with nine kills and nine digs, while freshman middle blocker Kaira Moss added nine kills and a team-high four blocks. Adams also served up a team-high three aces.

Also for the Lopes, junior outside hitter Melody Horton recorded seven kills without an error, hitting at a .389 efficiency, while sophomore libero Teagan DeFalco led all players with 19 digs.

Columbia was held to .096 hitting efficiency.

In the first set, consecutive aces by Adams pushed the Lopes ahead 8-4. Columbia rallied to tie the set at 12-12 and took its first lead at 16-15 after a service ace. GCU regained the lead after a kill from freshman middle blocker Annabelle Kubinski at 19-18. Tied at 22-22, a Lions service error followed by a Moss kill gave the Lopes the serve for set point. Columbia came back to tie it at 24-24 but a pair of Horton kills sealed the set 26-24 for the Lopes. GCU hit at a .314 clip in the opening set.

GCU forced the Lions to call the first timeout of the second with a 4-0 run that gave the Lopes a 13-7 advantage. GCU hit at a .348 clip in the set and won 25-17.

The Lopes scored 11 of the first 14 points of the third set after a pair of aces and a Columbia error and cruised to a 25-12 win.

GCU takes on host Delaware at 3 p.m. (Phoenix time) Friday before concluding its tournament schedule against Marist on Saturday.