Rally takes down Idaho, closes 3-0 weekend

Saturday, August 28

Moscow, Idaho

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0,0-0WAC

Idaho

1-2,0-0Big Sky

Grand Canyon

Idaho

Photo by: Idaho Athletics

8/28/2021 8:26:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Mitchell, Wise and Eskes make all-tournament team after 4-set win vs. Vandals

By: Kellie Reynolds

MOSCOW, Idaho – The Grand Canyon volleyball team finished the Idaho Volleyball Classic with a four-set victory against the host team, Idaho, to stay undefeated on its opening weekend.

Lopes junior setter Klaire Mitchell earned tournament MVP while freshman outside hitter McKenzie Wise and junior middle blocker Hannah Eskes joined Mitchell on the all-tournament team.

GCU (3-0) closed out the tournament with a 21-25, 25-20, 25-12, and 25-17 against Idaho with Wise recording a team-high 16 kills. Fellow freshman opposite hitter Sydney Reed contributed nine kills and three blocks while Mitchell tallied 39 assists.

Idaho led 18-10 in the first set before Mitchell found sophomore outside hitter Ashley Lifrgen for a kill and a Vandals hitting error pulled the Lopes within six. With Idaho at set point, the Lopes pushed four points, including a kill from Lifgren and two service aces by graduate libero Teagan DeFalco. But GCU dropped the first set 21-25.

The Lopes turned the match around in the second set, taking an 8-2 lead with three kills from junior middle blocker Annabelle Kubinski, two kills from Lifgren and two aces from Wise. GCU extended its lead to 18-8 after three kills in a row, two from Wise and one from Kubinski. GCU went on a five-point run to close out the second set and tie the match score at 1-1.

In the third set, GCU kept its momentum and started off with a 9-2 lead after a seven-point run. The Lopes kept their foot down and led 22-12 before closing out the set with a kill from Wise and two Idaho errors.

With a two-set lead and all the momentum on its side, GCU took a 5-2 lead with two kills from Lifgren. The Vandals put in one last rally to pull within two points before the Lopes went on a match-ending, six-point run, capped by Mitchell finding Kubinski for the decisive back-to-back kills.

Western Carolina, Rider and Villanova will join the Lopes for the GCU Invitational on Labor Day weekend, starting with the 3 p.m. Friday match against Western Carolina.