Hard work, long wait pay off for 2-0 start

Tuesday, January 26

Phoenix, Ariz.

3:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0,2-0WAC

Tarleton

2-3,0-2WAC

Tarleton St.

Grand Canyon

1/26/2021 8:10:00 PM | Women's Volleyball, Paul Coro

Box Score

Mitchell sets DI-era record as Murillo delivers 21 kills

By: Paul Coro

Success can be fleeting without the hard work to sustain it.

When the Grand Canyon women's volleyball team went 14 months without a match, the way the Lopes players and coaches spent the time showed up once they took the GCU Arena floor in uniform again this week. Following a 3-0 Monday win against Tarleton, the Lopes backed it up Tuesday by grinding out a 26-28, 25-22, 25-18, 25-22 victory against the Texans to open the season and WAC play.

GCU tied for the 26th-best winning percentage with a breakthrough 24-6 season in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed and tightened their season to an eight-week WAC sprint. The momentum and mindset survived as sophomore setter Klaire Mitchell shed Monday nerves to obliterate the program's Division I-era record for assists in a four-set match with 55 on Tuesday.

"There were long days and it was hard to stay motivated every single day, but now that we're here, it all paid off," Mitchell said. "It was hard because we never got to see how good we were. It makes you appreciate your fans and the people around you."

Even as Tarleton adjusted defensively and moved its attack from Monday's match, the Lopes were in position to win the first set with senior outside hitter Yeny Murillo smashing seven of her match-high 21 kills. The Lopes staved off three match points before dropping the set 28-26.

"As much as I felt we weren't comfortable, this match helps us get better," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said. "Diamonds are made from pressure. If you want to be great, you have to learn how to play well in the big moments. In order to do that, you have to be struggling in big moments to have those opportunities to rise up."

GCU's response was authoritative, running out to 14-6 lead in the second set and holding on for a 25-22 win that evened the match at 1-1 on a kill from freshman outside hitter Ashley Lifgren. The Peoria (Ariz.) Centennial High School product followed up her 15-kill, 16-dig Monday debut with 14 kills and 23 digs on Tuesday.

"It's been a dream," Lifgren said. "I've been waiting for this opportunity. And now that it's here, it's been so awesome to play with everyone.

"It's a lot of pressure but I live for the moment. Even though I know what GCU games are supposed to be like, it is still so much fun with the video, the fans, our teammates going crazy for everyone. It's so fun out there."

Between Lifgren playing hurt and others out hurt, GCU was limited but relied on its strength in the middle with juniors Annabelle Kubinski and Kaira Moss and sophomore Hannah Eskes.

The Lopes used long serving runs from freshman defensive specialist Mia Goulart to pull out the third and fourth sets with 7-0 and 8-0 runs, respectively.

Trailing 14-8 in the fourth set, a Murillo kill gave Goulart the serve and the Hawaii native kept Tarleton out of its system by serving bullets. On the next point, a hustling rally turned the set with Lifgren making two diving digs and Murillo lunging out of bounds for a save until the Texans cracked against a Moss/Mitchell front at the net.

"The great thing about Mia is, if you look at her face, you can't tell she's in a match because she's smiling all the time," Nollan said. "You couldn't tell that we were down by a few and wondering whether we were going to go five (sets). She just dealt pressure serve after pressure serve and was super-consistent. It was fantastic to see."

The hustle also often came from GCU junior K.J. Adams, who thrived in her new libero position with 24 digs, the last of which set up match point on a Murillo kill.

When it gets healthier, GCU figures to be deeper on the left side. Until then, it is 2-0 in the conference to tie for first place with returning champion New Mexico State. The Lopes were a surprise challenger to the Aggies in 2019, but now they are the expected contender.

The culture shift has GCU expecting to win each time it takes the court. And the Lopes usually do, with wins in 26 of their past 32 matches.

"We're learning how to be a frontrunner," Nollan said. "Dealing with those type of pressures is different than being the underdog that surprises everyone. I think it's a good thing. I plan on being a frontrunner for a long time. They have to develop a personality that knows everybody is going to give us their best match and, if they don't, we're going to make them wish they did."