Trip starts with 2 wins for 9th-ranked Lopes

Friday, April 9

Northridge, CA

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Long Beach State

Photo by: Alan Cisneros

4/9/2021 4:19:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

GCU defeats No. 16 Long Beach State, CSUN

By: Sierra Smith

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The No. 9 Grand Canyon beach volleyball team earned two wins on Day 1 of match play at CSUN Beach Volleyball Complex. The Lopes defeated No. 16 Long Beach State 4-1 and swept the host CSU Northridge 5-0 on Friday.

GCU defeats No. 16 LBSU 4-1

The first wave of the dual began with Courts 2 and 4. Both matches went to three sets, but the Lopes took a 2-0 lead after GCU's undefeated No. 4 pair of freshman Allanis Navas and graduate student Paula Hoffmann won 19-21, 21-13, 15-10, and the No. 2 pair of freshman Allison Hansen and sophomore Teagan DeFalco won 21-23, 21-19, 15-10.

The dual was clinched by Lopes seniors Katie Sarber and Natalie Honzovicova, who won 21-15, 21-17 on Court 5.

The GCU lead moved to 4-0 as sophomore Madi Relaz and senior Taylor Jarzombek won 21-18, 21-14 on Court 3.

The only loss for the Lopes came on Court 1, where senior Bella Bauman and junior Anaya Evans fell in two close sets, 23-21, 21-18.

Lopes sweep CSUN

The Lopes' No. 4 pair of Navas and Hoffmann pushed its record to 15-0 after a dominant 21-8, 21-10 performance against the Matadors.

GCU's Hansen and DeFalco won 21-9, 21-14 on Court 2 to put the Lopes ahead 2-0.

On Court 1, Bauman and Evans clinched the dual after winning 21-17, 21-9.

Jarzombek and Relaz defeated the Matadors' No. 3 pair 21-18, 21-15.

The sweep was secured by Sarber and Honzovicova with a 21-8, 21-15 win against CSUN on Court 5.

The Lopes are back at it on Saturday to take on both teams again. GCU will play CSUN at 11 a.m. and No. 16 Long Beach State at 1 p.m.