Full squad shines to down CBU in 3 sets

Thursday, September 30

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

10-2,2-1WAC

California Baptist

6-6,1-1WAC

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

9/30/2021 9:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball, Paul Coro

Box Score PHOTO GALLERY Photo Gallery

Eskes, Kubinski control middle for combined 12 kills, 11 blocks

By: Paul Coro

Grand Canyon women's volleyball fans forgot what their team looked like and it was not just because the Lopes had not played at home in 25 days.

Between canceled matches and unavailable players, it had been the same 25-day wait for GCU to restore its full arsenal and that was unleashed Thursday night on California Baptist. The Lopes dominated the first two sets and staved off a third-set challenge to win 25-17, 25-14, 26-24 at GCU Arena.

GCU is tied for 32nd in winning percentage nationally after moving to 10-2 with a 2-1 conference record, which ranks second in the WAC's West Division. The Lopes' damage came from all directions, with freshman outside hitter McKenzie Wise drilling 12 kills on an active night, as middle blockers Annabelle Kubinski (six kills, five blocks, .600 hitting) and Hannah Eskes (six kills, six blocks, .308 hitting) controlled the inside.

"Collectively, everyone on the floor made some big plays," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said of his program's 14th consecutive home win. "We weren't a one-trick pony and we're not a one-horse team this year. We got a lot of kids who can score. We've got a lot of kids who can serve and defend. Getting the best lineup and the best mix of people for the opponent that night is going to be the staff's challenge."

It was the first match for junior setter Klaire Mitchell since Sept. 5, but she conducted the orchestra well with 30 assists, 12 digs, .429 hitting and one backward baseline bump over the net to lead to a point.

GCU made one attacking error in each of the first two sets, when its hitting percentages were at .361 and .375. California Baptist (6-6, 1-1 WAC) hit below .100 and committed nine attacking errors in each of the sets.

The Lancers only blocked the Lopes five times in Thursday's match, but GCU broke a 24-24 tie in the final set when Estes and Kubinski closed it with blocks.

"I'm really proud of the way the team locked in together and played really unified," Kubinski said. "The energy was super consistent. A lot of that was from the bench as well. Everybody on the court didn't go through a lot of ups and downs and was able to look in your teammates' eyes and hype each other up."

An Estes block also finished off the first set, which turned on consecutive Kubinski kills before a run of California Baptist errors helped GCU pull away.

The Lopes held a 12-11 lead in the second set before scoring 10 unanswered points. During that stretch, Kubinski showed her re Hannah Eskes

pertoire with a power kill, a tap kill and two blocks.

When California Baptist made a third-set threat, it was Eskes' consecutive kill and block and the Mitchell hustle point that rallied GCU. The Lopes scored three of their final six points on blocks by Eskes, a 6-foot-2 junior.

"I was just happy to be back on the court," Eskes said after not playing since Sept. 11. "Our pin blockers did a really good job with their lineups on the other attackers so that allowed Belle and I to get a lot of good touches on the block. Our front-row defense and back-row defense were working really well together, which was allowing us a lot of different attacking opportunities."

GCU fifth-year libero Teagan DeFalco is often avoided, but she picked up 16 digs and served the Lopes' only ace of the match to keep her No. 2 WAC ranking for aces.

"We're starting to play our best volleyball and starting to get healthy all at the right time," Nollan said. "We just have to keep improving and keep developing our team concept a little bit, but I think we're definitely moving in the right direction."

Nollan still wanted to see his team play more through the middle, where Kubinski is regaining the form that ranked her among the nation's best for hitting percentage in 2019. She already has played twice as many sets as last season, and ranks second on the team in points this season.

"I'm a lot more confident," said Kubinski, a 6-footer from Albuquerque, New Mexico. "Last year, I was coming back from injury and I don't feel like I was trusting myself. I'm more confident in my play and trusting that I've had enough experience in volleyball that I know how to get out there and play."

A 10-2 mark makes GCU 45-12 over the past three seasons, but the emphasis stays on the next match. GCU plays Seattle U at 3 p.m. Saturday in GCU Arena.

"Our focus is to bring our best every night so that we can position ourselves to get a good spot in the conference tournament and play to win," Nollan said.