No. 9 Lopes sweep on Senior Day

Saturday, April 17

Phoenix, Ariz.

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-10,8-10MPSF

Concordia

3-13,3-13MPSF

Concordia (CA)

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Mathew McGraw

4/17/2021 6:48:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

GCU defeats Concordia in 3 sets for 2nd straight day

By: Cassidy Mace

No. 9 Grand Canyon men's volleyball got its second straight sweep over Concordia on Saturday at home. The Lopes (8-10, 8-10 MPSF) took down the Eagles (3-13, 3-13) in their final match of the regular season to head into the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship as the No. 4 seed.

GCU takes on No. 5 seed USC in the MPSF quarterfinals on Thursday at 4 p.m. in Provo, Utah.

Seniors led the Lopes in all but one category for the Senior Day match. Outside hitter David Kisiel recorded 15 kills, setter Onur Cukur made 34 assists and three blocks, and libero Avery Enriques led the team with 13 digs.

The first set started close at 7-7 before the Eagles took a 9-8 lead, but Kisiel later tied it with a kill at 12-12 and sophomore middle Kyle Thompson put the Lopes up with another. The match stayed close until a four-point GCU run gave the Lopes a 20-16 lead with a kill from freshman outside Camden Gianni, an ace from Cukur and a block by senior middle blocker Ian McLain. Concordia put one more point on the board before the Lopes ended the set on a five-point run with three aces from Gianni and two kills from McLain to take the set 25-17.

The second set followed suit with another 7-7 tie, but the Lopes creeped ahead with a double block from Kisiel and Thompson and a Thompson kill to lead 14-13. The teams went point for point for Concordia to lead 22-21 before a GCU three-point run put the Lopes in the lead. Thompson recorded another kill, followed by one from sophomore outside Christian Janke and a solo block from Cukur for a 24-22 Lopes lead. After one more point for the Eagles, Kisiel closed the set with a kill for the 25-23 win.

Concordia stayed in the match, tying the third set yet again at 7-7. The Lopes went on a three-point run with a kill from senior outside Trevor Weary and a block from Cukur to lead 11-8. Back-to-back kills from Kisiel added to the lead at 13-9. The Eagles kept it close until a five-point GCU run put the Lopes up 21-14 thanks to two kills from Janke, one from Cukur and two double blocks. Kisiel put up another two consecutive kills for GCU to lead 23-15 and McLain finished the match with one final kill for a 25-17 win.

The Lopes are back in action next week at the MPSF Tournament in Provo, Utah, where GCU will play USC in the Thursday quarterfinals.