UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team lost 3-0 to No. 4 Penn State for a second time this week, wrapping up its first road trip of the season.
The sixth-ranked Lopes (2-2) were limited to a .175 hitting percentage on Saturday and, while the team didn't commit a service error, it was unable to land a service ace against the Nittany Lions in a 25-18, 25-18, 25-13 loss.
In the first set, Penn State (4-0) led wire to wire and held an early 6-2 lead that later ballooned to 17-9. The Lopes were held to 17 attacks and Penn State recorded four blocks in the set. Sophomore middle blocker
Colin Lovejoy made the most of his opportunities by finishing two of his three attack attempts in the first set.
Trailing 1-0, GCU regrouped in the second set and tied up the match at 4-4 with a solo block by freshman outside
Karter Rogers. The set was back and forth most of the way with GCU holding an 11-9 lead off a kill by sophomore outside
Camden Gianni, one of his four kills in the set.
Off an attack error by Penn State's Cal Fisher, the match was tied at 18-18, but the Nittany Lions rattled off seven straight points for a 25-18 win.
In the third set, GCU junior opposite
Hugo Fischer came alive and converted five of his eight kills on a .625 clip.
Penn State closed out the match with a 25-13 third set. The Nittany Lions have won all 12 sets on the season.
The Lopes will be back in action next week at No. 10 UC San Diego on Friday at 8 p.m. (Phoenix time).