Back-to-back visitors face No. 6 GCU

Thursday, January 27

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Benedictine

Tickets

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

1/26/2022 4:27:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Lopes host Benedictine, Master's on Thursday night, Friday afternoon

By: Jerob Moon


No. 6 Grand Canyon Lopes (3-2)	vs	Benedictine Redhawks (1-2)	Master's Mustangs (2-1)
		Thursday Jan. 27 6 p.m.	Friday, Jan. 28 2 p.m.
Match notes		Live Video Live Stats	Live Video Live Stats

The sixth-ranked Grand Canyon men's volleyball team returns to GCU Arena for the first time in three weeks as it hosts Benedictine and Master's on Thursday and Friday.

The Lopes are coming off their first road win of the season with a four-set victory at No. 8 UC San Diego last week. GCU hit .435 in the first set and was led by redshirt sophomore outside hitter Camden Gianni's 17 kills. The GCU defense limited the Tritons to just .184 hitting while recording eight blocks.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

UP AND DOWN: GCU has the opportunity to end the opening month of the season on a high note. The season started with back-to-back four-set wins over No. 14 McKendree before the Lopes stumbled in two straight-set losses at No. 4 Penn State. But GCU rebounded with a win at No. 8 UCSD and has the chance to pick up two more wins this week to wrap up the month.
SLIGHT IMPRESSES: Redshirt freshman Nicholas Slight stepped into the starting lineup for the first time in his career against UCSD and impressed. The 6-foot-7 setter led the Lopes with 37 assists and added eight digs, two blocks and a service ace.
HOME HEAVY SCHEDULE: The Lopes have a chance to bolster their record with six of the next eight matches at GCU Arena. After facing Benedictine and Master's, GCU travels to Lewis and No. 11 Loyola Chicago before returning home for matches against UC Santa Barbara on Feb. 11 and 12. Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play will start the following week with matches against Pepperdine on Feb. 18 and 20.

SCOUTING

Benedictine was rated as high as No. 2 in the NAIA coaches' poll but has slipped to No. 6 in the most recent poll. The Redhawks are coming off a 1-2 performance at the Menlo College Oak Invitational.

Four Redhawks have recorded double-digit kills this season with freshman middle blocker Calem Stearman leading the way with 36 kills. Setter Daxton Tolman boasts an impressive 8.5 assists per set this season.

Master's started the season with two wins before falling to fellow MPSF foe Concordia Irvine in straight sets on Jan. 22. Matches against Benedictine and GCU will be the first ones for the Mustangs outside California this season.

Freshman middle blocker Will Avera and outside hitter Diego Perez have paced the Mustangs' offensive attack with 21 and 20 kills, respectively. Against Concordia, the team hit a season-high .360 but was unable to stop the Eagles, who hit .530.