Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, March 7
Phoenix, Ariz.
Noon
Grand Canyon
14-6,4-2MPSF
3
vs
0
Menlo
2-2
1
2
3
F
Menlo
16
20
22
0
Grand Canyon
25
25
25
3
Lopes defeat Menlo, fall to UC Irvine
3/7/2020 8:42:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
GCU splits day's matches at Antelope Gym
No. 10 Grand Canyon men's volleyball handed Menlo its first loss of the season Saturday in Antelope Gymnasium. The Lopes won in straight sets, 25-16, 25-20, 25-22, to end the Oaks' 16-match winning streak before falling to No. 7 UC Irvine in GCU's second five-set match of the season. The Lopes recorded a season-high 58 team kills in the 20-25, 22-25, 25-13, 25-22, 15-9 loss.
GCU sophomore outside hitter Christian Janke recorded double-digit kills in both matches, recording 11 vs. Menlo and a season-high 19 against UC Irvine.
GCU sweeps Menlo
The Lopes started the day with a win over Menlo (17-1) in the first set, taking down the Oaks 25-16. GCU jumped ahead with a 6-1 lead to start the set, holding on to the lead throughout the set to lead by as much as nine. Junior middle blocker Ian McLain led the Lopes in the first set with four kills and zero errors for a .667 hitting percentage, along with two block assists.
Menlo stepped up to compete in the second set, managing to pull ahead 8-5. GCU freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni recorded three kills and an ace to tie the match at 10. The teams battled until the Lopes pulled ahead 21-14 with a four-point run. GCU closed out the set at 25-20 to lead 2-0 in the match. Gianni led the team with five kills, one ace and three digs in the set.
The third set was another close one, with a tie score as late as 20-20. Lopes sophomores Kyle Thompson and Heath Hughes strung together a pair of kills for a 22-20 lead, setting up GCU to close out a 25-22 set with another Janke kill along the way to closing out the match. Janke led the team with six kills, three digs and an ace in the set, hitting at .625.
Janke and Gianni each recorded 11 kills in the set, while McLain and sophomore opposite Hugo Fischer led the team with six block assists apiece.
Lopes fall in 5 to No. 7 UC Irvine
GCU started out strong with a 25-20 win over the Anteaters in the first set. The Lopes led by as many as seven at 21-14. UC Irvine was able to narrow the gap to four at 24-20, but the Lopes pulled through with the set win. Janke led the way with six kills, three digs and one ace with a .667 hitting percentage, while McLain recorded two blocks: one solo and one assist.
The Lopes went up 2-0 with another win in set two. The Anteaters pulled ahead early, leading 9-7 and staying in front until the Lopes tied it at 13. GCU pulled ahead with a 3-0 run and held on to the lead for a 25-22 win. Gianni recorded six kills with zero errors in the set for a .750 hitting percentage, while Janke added five kills and McLain picked up three block assists.
UC Irvine took the third set 25-13 to send the match into a fourth set, where GCU kept it close in a 25-22 loss. Thompson led the Lopes with six kills in the fourth set, also recording two assists.
After the Anteaters pulled ahead 5-1 in the fifth set, the Lopes pushed to stay in the game. Two kills from Janke and one from McLain had GCU trailing 7-4, but a four-point run from UC Irvine shut down the Lopes' offense. GCU could not close the gap, falling 15-9 in the final set.
The Lopes hit the road to take on NJIT and No. 11 Princeton on Friday and Saturday.
GCU sophomore outside hitter Christian Janke recorded double-digit kills in both matches, recording 11 vs. Menlo and a season-high 19 against UC Irvine.
GCU sweeps Menlo
The Lopes started the day with a win over Menlo (17-1) in the first set, taking down the Oaks 25-16. GCU jumped ahead with a 6-1 lead to start the set, holding on to the lead throughout the set to lead by as much as nine. Junior middle blocker Ian McLain led the Lopes in the first set with four kills and zero errors for a .667 hitting percentage, along with two block assists.
Menlo stepped up to compete in the second set, managing to pull ahead 8-5. GCU freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni recorded three kills and an ace to tie the match at 10. The teams battled until the Lopes pulled ahead 21-14 with a four-point run. GCU closed out the set at 25-20 to lead 2-0 in the match. Gianni led the team with five kills, one ace and three digs in the set.
The third set was another close one, with a tie score as late as 20-20. Lopes sophomores Kyle Thompson and Heath Hughes strung together a pair of kills for a 22-20 lead, setting up GCU to close out a 25-22 set with another Janke kill along the way to closing out the match. Janke led the team with six kills, three digs and an ace in the set, hitting at .625.
Janke and Gianni each recorded 11 kills in the set, while McLain and sophomore opposite Hugo Fischer led the team with six block assists apiece.
Lopes fall in 5 to No. 7 UC Irvine
GCU started out strong with a 25-20 win over the Anteaters in the first set. The Lopes led by as many as seven at 21-14. UC Irvine was able to narrow the gap to four at 24-20, but the Lopes pulled through with the set win. Janke led the way with six kills, three digs and one ace with a .667 hitting percentage, while McLain recorded two blocks: one solo and one assist.
The Lopes went up 2-0 with another win in set two. The Anteaters pulled ahead early, leading 9-7 and staying in front until the Lopes tied it at 13. GCU pulled ahead with a 3-0 run and held on to the lead for a 25-22 win. Gianni recorded six kills with zero errors in the set for a .750 hitting percentage, while Janke added five kills and McLain picked up three block assists.
UC Irvine took the third set 25-13 to send the match into a fourth set, where GCU kept it close in a 25-22 loss. Thompson led the Lopes with six kills in the fourth set, also recording two assists.
After the Anteaters pulled ahead 5-1 in the fifth set, the Lopes pushed to stay in the game. Two kills from Janke and one from McLain had GCU trailing 7-4, but a four-point run from UC Irvine shut down the Lopes' offense. GCU could not close the gap, falling 15-9 in the final set.
The Lopes hit the road to take on NJIT and No. 11 Princeton on Friday and Saturday.
Team Stats
Menlo
GCU
Kills
33
44
Errors
14
11
Attempts
88
85
Hitting %
.216
.388
Points
36.5
56
Assists
32
40
Aces
1
5
Blocks
2.5
7
Game Leaders
Kills
11
Aces
3
Blocks
0
Kills
11
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
OPP
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
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