No. 9 Lopes finish Northridge trip 4-0

Saturday, April 10

Northridge, CA

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

CSUN

Photo by: Tech and Photo

4/10/2021 3:44:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

GCU takes down CSUN, No. 16 Long Beach State again

By: Sierra Smith

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The No. 9 Grand Canyon beach volleyball team defeated CSU Northridge 5-0 and No. 16 Long Beach State 3-2 to close out the first of three consecutive California trips.

GCU finished the weekend 4-0 and improved its record to 16-5 with eight wins in its past nine duals.

Lopes sweep CSUN again

On Court 4, GCU freshman Allanis Navas and graduate student Paula Hoffmann got the Lopes going with a 21-7, 21-16 win.

GCU's No. 2 pair of freshman Allison Hansen and sophomore Teagan DeFalco defeated the Matadors 21-18, 24-22.

Seniors Katie Sarber and Natalie Honzovicova clinched the dual with a 21-12, 21-14 win on Court 5.

The Lopes' lead moved to 4-0 after a 21-8, 21-15 win by sophomore Madi Relaz and senior Taylor Jarzombek on Court 3.

The sweep was completed on the top court with senior Bella Bauman and junior Anaya Evans winning 19-21, 21-9, 15-9.

GCU downs No. 16 LBSU 3-2

The Lopes took a 2-0 lead with Courts 2 and 4 winning in the first wave of match play. Navas and Hoffmann won 21-4, 21-16 against LBSU's No. 4 pair and brought their pair record to 17-0 this season. Hansen and DeFalco fell 18-21 in the first set, but rallied to win the next two sets, 21-14 and 15-13.

LBSU evened the dual after defeating Sarber and Honzovicova 21-16 in both sets on Court 5 and Relaz and Jarzombek 21-17, 9-21, 15-12 on Court 3.

With the dual coming down to the final court, the Lopes' No. 1 pair of Bauman and Evans earned a 21-17, 21-15 victory to give GCU a perfect four-dual trip.

Up next, the Lopes head to San Luis Obispo, California to play in the Center of Effort Challenge, hosted by Cal Poly at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex. With two weeks remaining in the regular season, GCU will play significant dual matches against No. 1 UCLA, No. 6 Cal Poly, No. 5 Loyola Marymount and No. 2 USC.