No. 9 Lopes fall in 3 sets to No. 5 Waves

Sunday, March 28

Malibu, Calif.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-8, 4-8MPSF

Pepperdine

11-5, 11-5MPSF

Grand Canyon

Pepperdine

Photo by: Mathew McGraw

3/28/2021 7:01:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

GCU loses its 3rd weekend match at Pepperdine

By: Cassidy Mace

MALIBU, Calif. – Grand Canyon men's volleyball lost its final match of a road series at No. 5 Pepperdine, which won 29-27, 26-24, 25-18 on Sunday. The No. 9 Lopes (4-8, 4-8 MPSF) fought through three weekend losses to Pepperdine (11-5, 11-5 MPSF).

Junior opposite Hugo Fischer led GCU with 14 kills in Sunday's match, hitting at .370 with one block and one dig. Lopes freshman outside hitter Camden Gianni recorded nine kills, two digs, a block and an assist.

GCU stayed in the first set with kills from sophomores Kyle Thompson and Heath Hughes to tie it at 8-8. A Lopes four-point run took a 12-9 lead, thanks to another kill from Hughes, a block from Thompson and an ace from sophomore outside hitter Christian Janke. The teams battled back and forth while another ace from Janke put GCU up 19-17 late in the set. The teams went point for point and a kill from Janke gave the Lopes a set point at 24-22. A Pepperdine three-point run sent it into extra points at 25-24 and the Waves pulled ahead for a 29-27 win in the first set.

In the second set, GCU pulled ahead 5-3 after back-to-back kills from Gianni and senior outside hitter Ian McLain. Pepperdine evened it at 6-6 before pulling ahead 11-7 with a 7-1 run. The Lopes called time out and fought to get back in the set, getting kills from Thompson, Fischer and Gianni to cut the Waves lead to 14-12. The set stayed close through a 22-22 tie, which came on a four-point run with kills from Fischer and senior outside Trevor Weary, as well as a solo block from Thompson and a double from Thompson and Fischer. The Waves sent another set into extra points and won 26-24 for a 2-0 match lead.

Pepperdine earned their largest win in the third set, as the teams played their 11th set in three days. The Waves led 13-6, but GCU stayed tight at 23-17 wtih a four-point run on kills from McLain, Fischer and Weary. Pepperdine closed out its third straight match victory with a 25-18 final in the third set.

The Lopes return home to take on No. 6 UCLA on Friday and Saturday at GCU Arena.