Lopes open 3-match homestand with Utah Valley

Thursday, November 4

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

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11/3/2021 7:15:00 AM | Volleyball

Second-place GCU hosts UVU for first time since 2019

By: Kellie Reynolds


Grand Canyon Lopes (15-5, 7-4 WAC)	vs.	Utah Valley Wolverines (11-10, 6-4 WAC)
		Thursday, Nov. 4 6 p.m.
GCU game notes		Live video Live stats

Grand Canyon ends the regular season with three straight home matches, beginning this Thursday with Utah Valley. When the two teams last squared off, the Lopes took down the Wolverines in Orem after five sets. GCU is tied for second place in the WAC West Division with New Mexico State after both teams fell at first-place California Baptist last week. Utah Valley is tied with Chicago State for fourth place.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

RPI: After falling to CBU, the Lopes rank 81st in the NCAA Rating Percentage Index for third best in the WAC. The Lopes are behind Stephen F. Austin (69) and Sam Houston (79). Utah Valley comes into the match ranked No. 102.
NCAA RANKINGS: Graduate libero Teagan DeFalco is 19th in the nation for digs per set at 5.17 while junior setter Klaire Mitchell ranks 61st in assists per set at 10.12.
THREE HOME MATCHES: The Lopes have three home matches left before they hit the road to compete in the WAC Tournament in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

SCOUTING

Utah Valley comes to GCU Arena with a 11-10 record and 6-4 WAC mark. The Wolverines are tied for fourth with Chicago State in the WAC West Division. Coming into the season, Utah Valley was picked to win the WAC West Division in the coaches' poll and senior outside hitter Kazna Tanuvasa was chosen as WAC Preseason Player of the Year. The Wolverines have been able to defeat the Lopes at GCU every time but they lost twice at GCU Arena during WAC pod play in mid-October.

Tanuvasa leads the Wolverines in almost every offensive category, as she is first in points (334.5), points per set (4.13), kills (294) and kills per set (3.63). The senior is also third in service aces with 20. Sophomore setter Abbie Miller has a team-best 479 assists and 5.64 assists per set. Her counterpart and fellow setter, Natalie Palmer, is second with 316 assists and 3.81 assists per set. Both setters are a force on the service line, as Palmer is first on the team with 27 aces and Miller is second with 22 aces. Middle blocker Kendra Nock is dominant at the net with 89 blocks with 12 block solos to average 1.22 per set. Fellow middle blocker Sadie Hamson is close behind Nock with 72 total blocks and 67 block assists while averaging 1.20 block per set. Bryton Bishop, the Wolverines libero, has a team-best 341 digs while averaging 4.01 digs per set. The sophomore has also added 95 assists and 19 service aces.

Last time out, the Wolverines hosted Chicago State in Orem and defeated them in four sets. Utah Valley won the opening set over the Cougars and then dropped the second before winning the third and fourth. In the win, the Wolverines totaled 11 aces and 13 blocks with match highs coming from Kristen Bell (four aces) and Nock (10 blocks).

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes host Dixie State in GCU Arena at 3 p.m. Saturday.