No. 10 GCU pushes No. 1 BYU to 5 sets

Saturday, February 20

Provo, Utah

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

BYU

Photo by: Courtney Metzger/Hawaii Media Source

2/20/2021 11:29:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Gianni records career-high 24 kills against Cougars

By: Cassidy Mace

PROVO, Utah – Grand Canyon men's volleyball (1-2, 1-2 MPSF) became the first team to push No. 1 BYU (5-1, 5-1 MSPF) to five sets this season on Saturday night. The No. 10 Lopes fell in a close match to the Cougars on the road, staying within two points in the first four sets before BYU wonf 25-27, 28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11 at Smith Fieldhouse.

GCU freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni recorded a career-high 24 kills, topping his record from last season by five. The returning MPSF Freshman of the Year also picked up six blocks, five aces and two digs for 32 points in the match.

"I didn't have the best of nights on Thursday when we went to four sets with them," Gianni said. "I got a few talks since with (head coach) Matt (Werle) and (assistant coach) Keith (Smith) to just go out and have fun. I made that more of a priority tonight and it stinks that we didn't come out on top. But we will be seeing them next week for two more at home."

Lopes junior opposite Hugo Fischer had his second-straight 18-kill match against the Cougars, piling on three aces and a block for 21.5 points in the match, along with a .529 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Heath Hughes had a season-high 47 assists while also leading the team with 12 digs in the match.

GCU came out strong with a 27-25 win in the first set. Gianni dropped back-to-back aces to give the Lopes their first lead at 9-8. The Cougars battled back, but the Lopes were able to retake the lead at 22-21 with a four-point run, featuring an ace from Fischer and kills from sophomore outside Christian Janke and senior setter Onur Cukur. It was close to the end, but a strategic timeout from Werle led to a three-point run to take the set, thanks to a triple block from Gianni, Hughes, and senior middle Ian McLain, plus Gianni's fifth kill.

The second set was a heartbreaker as the Lopes battled to extra points before falling 28-26. GCU used the momentum from the first-set win to take an early 7-3 lead, but a four-point run from the Cougars tied it up at 7-7. A big block from McLain and Fischer gave GCU back the lead at 12-11, which led to a nearly point-for-point battle between the two teams. The Lopes went back on top at 18-15 with Fischer at the service line but were unable to hold on after a Cougar timeout. Tied at 24-24, the Lopes stayed in the game to lead 26-25, but a three-point run from BYU ended it.

Gianni started strong in a third-set win over the Cougars. He contributed to four of the Lopes' first five points with three kills and a block assist, helping GCU take an early 6-3 lead. Another kill and an ace from Gianni, plus a kill from Janke put the Lopes up 9-6. GCU held the lead at 15-13 going into a media timeout before BYU caught up at 15-15. Back-to-back kills from Janke and another Gianni ace put the Lopes up 19-16 and forced a Cougar timeout. The Lopes were able to hold onto their lead, leading 23-20 before another BYU timeout. GCU stayed strong and Gianni closed the set with a powerful kill for a 25-23 set win and 2-1 match lead.

BYU turned the tables with an early 9-5 lead in the fourth set, forcing a GCU timeout. A kill from Janke and back-to-back blocks from Gianni and sophomore middle Kyle Thompson set the Lopes back on track. However, GCU was unable to take the lead in the fourth set, falling behind 22-18. A three-point run with a kill and an ace from Gianni, plus a kill from Fischer, put the Lopes back within one at 22-21. The teams traded points and Fischer kept GCU in the set with two kills, but was unable to pull ahead, falling 25-23 and tying the set.

Two more Gianni kills and a Fischer one kept GCU on pace at 3-3 to start the fifth set. The Cougars pulled ahead with a three-point run to lead 9-5 and forced a GCU timeout. The Lopes came back within three points but were unable to close the gap and fell 15-11.

GCU gets two more chances to top No. 1 BYU as it hosts the Cougars at 6 p.m. Thursday and noon Saturday at GCU Arena.