Dominant victory treats record-setting crowd

Friday, September 3

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-0,0-0WAC

Western Carolina

0-3,0-0SoCon

Western Caro.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

9/3/2021 8:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU improves to 4-0 with home-opening win before 7,111 fans

The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team provided thrills for its largest crowd ever — 7,111 screaming fans — in a 25-17, 25-19, 25-21 sweep of Western Carolina in its Friday night home opener.

Only Nebraska and Wisconsin have drawn larger crowds than GCU for a volleyball match this season.

"It was nice for us to get a sweep in our home opener and getting to expose our young team to the passionate GCU crowd," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "We have some things we can work on and improve and anytime you sweep it is a good day."

The Lopes moved to 4-0 in its first of three GCU Invitational weekend matches with freshman outside hitter McKenzie Wise posting a match-high 14 kills while fellow freshman Sydney Reed produced 10 more kills for GCU. The Lopes are starting a season at 4-0 for the second consecutive season.

"Really impressed with Sydney Reed's attacking performance tonight hitting over 500 and once again McKenzie Wise lead us in points," said Nollan.

As mostly students filled GCU Arena with energy ahead of Lope-A-Palooza, a few nerves hit the Lopes to fall behind in the opening set but they quickly took the lead over the Catamounts. A four-point run started with back-to-back kills from Reed and sophomore outside hitter Ashley Lifgren and put the Lopes out front 18-15. After a Western Carolina point, GCU responded by taking a six-point lead on two kills from Wise to set up match point. A Catamount error gave the Lopes the first set.

The Lopes started the second set with an 8-5 edge on back-to-back kills from junior middle blocker Hannha Eskes and Wise. GCU pulled away to a 19-12 lead with a four-point run that was started by a double block from Lifgren and Eskes. Wise and Eskes followed with two more points for the Lopes. Junior setter Klaire Mitchell found Lifgren on the pin to take the second set.

Western Carolina started to rally with a 13-9 lead in the third set. A five-point run by the Lopes swung the lead in their favor. The Lopes recorded four straight kills, two from Lifgren and one each from Reed and junior middle blocker Annabelle Kubinski. From there, it was all GCU as the Lopes recorded back-to-back points off a block from Kubinski and Mitchell and a Kubinski kill from sophomore setter Ava Mason to take a 23-19 lead. GCU closed out the match and secured the sweep with their its block, a combo effort from Lifgren and Kubinski.

"Where I think we are really going to shine throughout the rest of this tournament is with our serving and defense," Nollan said. "We are making major improvements every day. Teagan DeFalco had 17 digs and our service line wasn't great in the box score with only one ace. However, what is not mentioned in the box score is all the pressure we put on the opponents to be out of system. I would look for that number to increase throughout the tournament."

The Lopes are back in action Saturday against Rider at 7 p.m. in GCU Arena, where they will end the event Sunday with a 2 p.m. match against Villanova.