Record serving downs No. 8 UCLA

Friday, February 21

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

11-3,3-1MPSF

UCLA

7-7,2-3MPSF

UCLA

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Elizabeth Tinajero

2/21/2020 9:03:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

13th-ranked Lopes beat Bruins in 4 sets at GCU Arena

By: Cassidy Mace

The No. 13 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team tied the program record for aces in a match on Saturday in a 3-1 upset of No. 8 UCLA at GCU Arena.

Lopes sophomore outside hitter Christian Janke recorded six aces for the second-most by an individual in GCU history. The Lopes came back from losing the first set to defeat the Bruins 20-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-19 in front of 1,923 fans at GCU Arena, where they return to play No. 6 Pepperdine at 2 p.m. Sunday.

The win marks the first time in GCU history that the Lopes (11-3, 3-1 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) have defeated the Bruins (7-7, 2-3 MPSF).

"We just had the mentality that we were going to go after it," Janke said. "We weren't going to let up the entire game, especially from the service line. We were just trying to get them out of system and play our game. We know what we're capable of and we executed tonight."

Freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni led the Lopes in kills with 17, hitting .467 and contributing four aces to the program record. Hugo Fischer, a GCU sophomore opposite, also hit in the double digits with 11 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Kyle Thompson returned for the Lopes, recording eight kills and three blocks with .545 hitting in his first action since Jan. 26.

"Moving forward, it's nice to have Kyle Thompson back," GCU head coach Matt Werle said. "Caleb Blazer has done a great job and we wouldn't be where we are now without what he did in the last few weeks. But Kyle has proved himself and Caleb is going to be on the court again at some point for us."

GCU got off to a slow start, working to find a rhythm as it lost 25-20 in the first set.

The Lopes flipped a switch in the second set, pulling ahead 8-6. The Bruins tied it at eight, but GCU went on a six-point run, featuring three aces from Janke and back-to-back kills from Gianni. The Lopes held onto the lead through the end of the set to tie the match at 1-1.

"The service line was really what gave us the advantage," Werle said. "I know that we missed quite a few. I think we missed a lot in the first set. We just weren't fully ready to go or fully engaged. Once Camden started turning it on, Christian goes without saying, Hugo found a little better rhythm there late and put them in some trouble situations. I mean, at the service line if we can go 11 aces, even if we miss 25 serves, we're going to win a lot of matches or at least be in a lot of matches."

GCU got off to another strong start in the third set, pulling ahead 13-8. The Bruins tied it at 19 after trailing for the entire set previously. Gianni made sure the Lopes stayed on top with a kill, but UCLA tied it again at 20. The two teams went point for point until the set was tied at 23-23. A kill from Thompson moved the Lopes to set point and Gianni finished it off with his sixth kill of the set.

After a 4-0 run to start the fourth set, GCU kept up the tempo to lead 12-5. The Bruins responded to get within four twice (16-12 and 20-16), but the Lopes kept the lead and won 25-19 on Janke's final kill.

The win marks GCU's second victory against a top-10 opponent this month after the Lopes took down No. 9 Stanford in straight sets on Feb. 1.

"We treat it as just any opponent," Werle said. "We want to believe that we can beat everybody and trying to get these young guys to have the confidence to actually believe we're going to win is something that we're really working on. So, wins like this and getting ranked finally, which I think is a little overdue, those little pieces of confidence is just helping boost these guys' energies."

The Lopes are back in GCU Arena at 2 p.m. Sunday as they face another ranked opponent in Pepperdine, who is tied for sixth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 15.

"We're not done yet," Janke said. "We've still got a whole other game this weekend. So, I think we take this win, celebrate tonight, but starting tomorrow morning our focus is Pepperdine."