The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team was happy to be back in front of the home fans at GCU Arena on Thursday night, when they served up a treat with a 3-0 sweep over Benedictine.
The sixth-ranked Lopes had their best offensive showcase of the season, hitting .435 as a team with five players hitting .500 individually against the crosstown visitors. GCU (4-2) was also stout in the middle, recording nine blocks in limiting Benedictine (1-4) to just .012 hitting.
The Lopes only committed six errors on their 62 attacking chances to move to 3-0 at home.
GCU dominated the first set, 25-16. The Redhawks scored the first point but, from then on, it was all GCU. The Lopes scored nine of the next 10 points to lead 10-2. GCU outside hitter
Camden Gianni and middle blocker
Jacob Guerber combined for three service aces during the run.
Lopes sophomore outside hitter
Jackson Hickman recorded 10 kills in the 3-1 win over then-No. 8 UC San Diego last week, and carried over his strong performance to Thursday with five first-set kills on .571 hitting.
It was more of the same dominance in the second set, as the Lopes won by a larger margin, 25-10, to go up two sets to none. Eight Lopes recorded a kill in the set as GCU hit .458 with only two errors while keeping the Redhawks in the negatives for hitting at -.154.
In the third and final set, Lopes head coach
Matt Werle gave bench players some experience with middle blocker
Chibuike Obi, opposite
Carson Brandt and outside hitter
Karter Rogers all seeing extended playing time in a 25-21 GCU set win.
Gianni finished strong with his best set performance, converting eight attacking chances into six kills while adding two blocks and a service ace. The Carlsbad, California, native's 11 kills led the Lopes for the fifth straight match.
Redshirt junior
Heath Hughes came off the GCU bench and tallied eight assists in the frame and set up Obi for the final kill from the middle.
The Lopes will have a quick turnaround as they face Master's for a Friday matinee at GCU Arena with the match starting at 2 p.m.