Home games await Lopes

Thursday, October 24

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Chicago State

Buy Tickets

10/23/2019 9:50:00 AM | Volleyball

GCU welcomes Chicago State, Kansas City

By: Sarah Woodward


Grand Canyon Lopes (16-4, 6-2 WAC)	vs	Chicago State Cougars (4-18, 0-8 WAC)	Kansas City Roos (10-8, 6-2 WAC)
		Thursday, Oct. 24 6 p.m. (Phoenix time)	Saturday, Oct. 26 3 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Match Notes		Live Video Live Stats Tickets	Live Video Live Stats Tickets

After four straight road games, the Grand Canyon women's volleyball team returns home for a pair of matches inside GCU Arena this week. The Lopes welcome Chicago State on Thursday night and Kansas City on Saturday afternoon as they try to move into sole possession of second place in the WAC.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

CONFERENCE FOE: GCU and Kansas City are knotted in second place in the WAC heading into the ninth week of the 2019 season. The pair will battle it out on Saturday as they chase undefeated WAC leader New Mexico State.
ON THE BLOCK: The Lopes are outblocking opponents 180.5-130.5 this season, as GCU has 52 block solos and 257 block assists on the year. Sophomore middle blocker Kaira Moss paces the Lopes at the net with 1.10 blocks per set, while sophomore middle blocker Annabelle Kubinski (0.71) and freshmen middle blockers Hannah Eskes (0.67) and Kailey Trapp (0.67) round out the top four.
SETS LIVE: Freshman Klaire Mitchell continues to dominate on offense and defense, as the setter has 740 assists, 77 kills, 208 digs and 45 blocks on the season.

SCOUTING

CHICAGO STATE is winless since the Lopes swept the Cougars on the road. CSU was able to win one set each against CSU Bakersfield, California Baptist and Seattle U, but lost in straight sets to Kansas City, Utah Valley, UT Rio Grande Valey and New Mexico State.

The Cougars are paced by Beatriz Palmieri at 2.60 kills per set while Josi Borum is right behind her with 2.57 kills per set. CSU has earned four wins this season over Northern Illinois, Alabama State, Western Carolina and Prairie View.

KANSAS CITY is 4-1 since the Sept. 30 meeting with the Lopes at the Swinney Center in Kansas City. The Roos earned conference victories over Chicago State, Utah Valley, Seattle U and UTRGV. Like the Lopes, Kansas City fell to New Mexico State but claimed one set.

The Roos are paced offensively by Alicia Harrington at 3.41 kills per set, while Mykal Sadler is the strongest Kansas City player at the net with 0.87 blocks per set.

LAST TIME OUT

GCU picked up a pair of five-set wins at CSU Bakersfield and California Baptist last week.
Sophomore middle blocker Kaira Moss tallied a career-high 20 kills against the Roadrunners and tied a career mark with nine blocks against the Lancers.
GCU set a season-best mark in team blocks with 17 against California Baptist, which only had three.