Seniors finish undefeated home season

Tuesday, March 16

Phoenix, Ariz.

3:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

10-2,10-2WAC

Seattle U

2-10,2-10WAC

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Mathew McGraw

3/16/2021 8:15:00 PM | Volleyball

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Hagge, Adams, Moss, Murillo reflect on GCU after series sweep of Seattle U

By: Paul Coro

The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team left its home season finale Tuesday like no Lopes squad had done since 1993 – with an undefeated home record.

GCU downed Seattle U 25-13, 25-20, 24-26, 25-17 to move to 8-0 at GCU Arena and 10-2 on the season. The Lopes close the regular season next week at Utah Valley in need of one win to clinch the No. 2 seed in the following week's WAC Tournament, also at Utah Valley.

In their 10 victories this season, the Lopes have won 30 of 33 sets in large part because of four exemplary seniors who played their final home match on Tuesday.

KAIRA MOSS

Kaira Moss arrived at GCU in the same year as Lopes head coach Tim Nollan, but rotator cuff surgery put the Boyden, Iowa, 6-foot-2 middle blocker's career on hold for two seasons.

kaira

Moss was well worth the wait, becoming an All-WAC first-team honoree in the 2019 season that ascended the Lopes program with a 24-6 record. She persevered the past shoulder issues and this year's hip problems to become GCU's Division I-era career blocks leader.

"That has been a lot," Moss said. "Honestly, it's made me a better person going through those things and I'm glad that I went through them. It's helped me as a teammate to see different perspectives off the court. I can have sympathy for people who are injured. I now know my body, what it can and can't handle. It helped me grow a lot in my relationship with God. My body is a grandma.

The Lopes held Senior Night to open the two-match sweep of Seattle U and the emotions hit her until first serve. There is more important volleyball ahead, but she did feel career closure with having her parents, two brothers, two sisters, nephew and friends in GCU Arena this week.

"It's a rollercoaster of emotions," Moss said. "It's happy and sad at the same time, but it was fun."

Because of the injuries, Moss played three full seasons in five years, but even this one was delayed and constricted because of the pandemic. She has made the most of her time with an undergraduate degree in healthcare administration, a graduate degree in mental health and wellness with an emphasis in Christian ministry and a certificate of mental health and wellness with an emphasis in family dynamics.

"It's been a journey," Moss said. "It's been really fun being coached by Tim. We've gone through a lot and it's been super fun to see the program get to where we're at now.

Nollan says: "She's really grown, developed and thrived in this program. Her volleyball IQ has gotten so much better. Her skills set are greatly better. Watching her develop and go from a kid who wasn't sure she could live far away from home to one who says, 'I don't know if I could ever leave.' She gets our team hyped up and gets the big point when we need it or the monster stuff block. She's the first one chest-bumping with someone else and hyping them up when they do something good. She's a cornerstone. We're going to try and replace her by committee, especially her leadership qualities, but she has mentored our younger kids. Even though she is going to be gone, her imprint on this program is going to last a long time."

K.J. ADAMS

When it came to Senior Night on Monday, K.J. Adams felt no difference. Another win, another night as the dig leader.

When it came to her final home game on Tuesday, Adams wound up serving the points that led up to match point.

"OMG, I could implode right now," Adams said she thought.

Mostly, she blows up opposing offense. Adams leads the WAC in digs per set (5.33) and ranks 32nd nationally as if she has played libero for years. Actually, she had not played the position since her high school sophomore year in Mont Belvieu, Texas, near Houston.

At GCU, she entered as a 6-foot outside hitter, moved to a serving and defensive specialist and is finishing as the libero.

"I've really liked the opportunity to change it up," Adams said. "Plus, playing libero is all about keeping people in check and I can goof around a little bit more. That's right up my alley.

"When I came in, I was like, 'Nobody is going to like me. I'm weird.' But then I was like, 'I'm not going to change me.' I want the best from everybody so, if I can be myself, it's more volleyball and not so serious and business. Being the funny, quirky person is so I can get the best out of my teammates."

Adams will be heard beyond the court. She will be one of the commencement speakers when she graduates next month in graphic design.

"When I leave, it's going to be so sad but I need to get myself out there and grow," Adams said. "I'm in debt to the community that was here. It will be so much better when I come back and visit because it's my second home.

"It was from the bottom and now we're here. I definitely took a chance coming to GCU. I bought into what Tim said the program was going to be. I wanted to help build a program. It's really nice to see it's coming into light. I'm so excited what the younger kids could do in the years ahead."

Nollan says: "K.J. has been just a spark for this program. She's brought so much to us, on and off the court, with her personality and energy. What makes her so special is not just her stats and they're great. She ranks first in the conference in digs per set and is among the top in NCAA too. What makes her special is she is the heart and soul of this team with personality, keeping everybody positive and getting people to stay weird in practice and be our goofy selves because we're better when we're that way. That's what she has done consistently since Day 1. She's been a huge piece for this program. I couldn't be more proud of how she's grown and developed with all the different roles we've thrown at her."

SARAH HAGGE

When Nollan recruited Sarah Hagge to GCU, he told her that she was a unicorn as a left-handed opposite.

Sarah

But her talent has been very real. Hagge has accumulated 494 career kills as a three-year starter from Northridge, California.

"I really don't think it has hit me yet," Hagge said. "I just got my cap and gown in the mail two days before Senior Night and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm graduating.' It just hasn't hit me because these girls have been so supportive of everything. I just don't want it to end so my mind is telling me it's not done yet."

The 6-foot-1 opposite is graduating with a degree in applied business information systems and minors in networking technology and marketing.

She calls the opportunities she has received through Nollan and GCU to be "unreal." It validated her thinking when she was being recruited and her mother, Sylvia, asked her whether she wanted to go to an established program or be part of building a program.

"I wanted to be part of something that is up and coming," Hagge said. "That way, I can help guide the way for new girls who are coming here to make the program better and to see the progression from freshman year winning two games to this year being unstoppable and know we can win the ring this year if we put our heads down and work. We have something special."

Nollan says: "Sarah has developed and become a staple for us and a leader of this team defensively at the net. They call her 'The Big Left-hander' and she gives us a different look than a lot of teams, having that left-hander out there on the opposite spot, changing block angles and attacking differently. She's kind of the team mom and shepherd, helping guide everyone on the right path and moving forward. She goes out and gives it her very best every night and everyone respects her for it. It's going to be some big shoes to fill. We recruited another lefty because I can't lost it altogether because she's been such an important player and mentor for the kids we have."

YENY MURILLO

Yeny Murillo arrived at GCU right on time for its best two Division I seasons.

Yeny

The Lopes are 34-8 since the Andalucia, Colombia, native came from Arizona Western College with her powerful pin swings and flying purple braids. She has been the team points leader for both seasons, but the outside hitting has increased her efficiency this season by increasing her hitting percentage from .179 to .265.

"Our team has been doing really good and we wanted to finish this season undefeated at home and we got it," Murillo said. "It's hard to think about not playing any more games in the arena. GCU has influenced a lot about my personality and taught me different strategies. They have made me a better person and player."

Murillo, who is graduating with a communications degree next month, is leading the WAC this season with 4.5 kills per set, ranking 22nd nationally. She obliterated the program's Division I-era record for kills in a four-set match with 26 against California Baptist on March 8 after already setting the three-set kills record with 19 against Dixie State on Feb. 9.

She has played more on the back row and set a career high with 17 digs in her home finale.

"The team dynamic feels like we're a family and that makes you feel good about yourself and want to give everything for this place," Murillo said.

Nollan says: "Yeny has come in and been our points producer for two years here. She has done an incredible job this year because she has been able to produce big numbers and reduce her errors. (On Tuesday), she had 40 attack attempts and only four errors. That is huge growth for what she was doing when she first came to us. She's one of those kids that gets set when everyone knows she's going to get set. The other team has already schemed their defense around her and she still finds a way to score. We certainly would not be the same team without her point production, there's no question, and she's embraced the back row too. She's just one of those good souls that everyone likes and she's always smiling with a positive attitude. She will be missed."