Clutch 1st set sends Lopes to tourney title

Sunday, September 5

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-0,0-0WAC

Villanova

3-3,0-0Big East

Villanova

Grand Canyon

9/5/2021 5:44:00 PM | Volleyball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

Weekend sweeps put mark at 6-0; Wise wins tournament MVP

By: Paul Coro

The first two weekends of the Grand Canyon women's volleyball season have been as packed with superlatives as their practice carts of volleyballs.

GCU freshman outside hitter McKenzie Wise, who committed five years ago as an eighth-grader, followed an all-tournament collegiate debut last week with tournament Most Valuable Player honors this weekend. A record-setting Friday night attendance carried over to GCU Arena crowds that delivered a unique home-court advantage Saturday and Sunday, putting the Lopes seventh for attendance in the nation.

But nothing tops a 6-0 record, the best start in the program's nine Division I seasons. GCU is one of 22 undefeated teams nationally with at least six wins.

The Lopes finished off their second consecutive tournament title by beating Villanova 26-24, 25-12, 25-23 for the GCU Invitational championship on Sunday.

GCU moved to 41-10 over the past three seasons by not dropping a set this weekend, although it nearly did on Sunday. Trailing 24-21 in the opening set, the Lopes fought off three set points and closed the set on a clutch five-point run.

"It defined the match, but it also defines this team," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said of the first-set comeback. "This team is one of those teams that understands what we have to do to win. No, we can't do it every point, but we know how to do it when it matters.

"It's almost alarming. I wanted to ask them if they had a pulse. It's a testament to the leadership steadying us out and letting the young kids just go out there and play."

Lopes junior setter Klaire Mitchell, last week's Idaho Volleyball Classic MVP in her home state, posted a second consecutive weekend of at least 90 assists despite no long matches. But when Villanova targeted her to avoid her setting, Mitchell's defense responded with nine first-set digs while still posting 15 assists.

One of those assists started the rally by setting up a kill for senior middle blocker Annabelle Kubinski (nine kills, .692 hitting). Three of those Mitchell digs erased the final two Villanova set points and gave GCU a set point after fifth-year libero Teagan DeFalco set freshman middle blocker Sydney Reed's out-of-system kill.

Wise delivered a tough serve and dig on set point, giving Mitchell a chance to set freshman outside hitter Ashley Lifgren for a crosscourt kill and 26-24 set win.

"I was really happy because I thought we improved a ton from last weekend," Mitchell said. "Battling in the first set to come back shows that we're maturing and adjusting to each other to finish out those tough games.

"I don't think I've dug that many balls since my freshman year."

Villanova unraveled with errors in the second set and fell behind 16-9 after Kubinski kills accounted for four of five GCU points. Junior middle blocker Hannah Eskes (six kills, .455 hitting) finished off a dominant 25-12 set with a right-side kill.

"Annabelle and Hannah did a fantastic job in that match," Nollan said. "They changed the script on it. We started going to them in transition. We've been working on their footwork. (Assistant coach) Abby Saehler has done a great job with them. For us to dig accurately enough to run them in transition opened it wide up."

Villanova swapped leads with GCU nine times in the third set, moving ahead for the final time at 22-21 before a service error tied it. The Lopes closed the match on a 4-1 run, including a block by Eskes and Reed.

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Wise, from nearby Northwest Christian High School, finished with a match-high 13 kills and added seven digs. She followed a debut weekend of 39 kills and 17 digs in 10 sets with 36 kills and 27 digs in nine sets this weekend.

"The team is really inviting so there are no nerves about being treated as a freshman," Wise said. "I know we're all treated as equals and that helps us stay calm. I'm doing everything just because I feel like I'm one of them. I don't feel like I'm an outcast. I don't feel like I'm new. There's a huge bond."

Nollan said Wise "is going to do incredible things. I expected her to contribute right away and have a chance to do some things, but I didn't expect her to come in and shine this bright so early."

The atmosphere helped keep momentum in GCU's corner. After drawing a program record crowd of 7,111 fans on Friday in advance of Lope-A-Palooza, the team apparently won over students to return for crowds of 1,123 and 1,450 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Only Nebraska and Wisconsin have drawn larger attendances than Friday's GCU Arena crowd.

"It was so much fun," Mitchell said. "It hurt my ears a little bit. It was super fun to have everyone there. I see people on Lopes Way now, telling us hi and good job. It's pretty cool."

The Lopes' newly acquired fans will have to wait until Sept. 30 to see GCU again. The Lopes, who have only lost one set in six matches, are on the road the next three weekends before testing out their improved home-court advantage in conference action.

"A lot of places pack in people, but not a lot of universities get student fans and a student section like the Havocs," Nollan said. "They're engaged. They're dancing. They're loud. They're cheering. They're part of the game and that's what makes this the best home court on the West Coast right now and I'm going to say country if we keep this up. I'm so excited about what the Havocs are bringing."

All-GCU Invitational team
Player	Year	School
Teagan DeFalco*	Fifth-year senior	GCU
Hannah Eskes	Junior	GCU
Sydney Reed	Freshman	GCU
McKenzie Wise**	Freshman	GCU
Merry Gebel	Senior	Western Carolina
Johnna Robinson	Junior	Western Carolina
Riley Homer	Sophomore	Villanova
Anilee Sher	Senior	Rider