Lopes win NIVC debut, play Drake next

Sunday, December 4

Wichita, Kan.

2:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

18-10,10-4WAC

Wichita State

18-13,13-6AAC

Grand Canyon

Wichita St.

12/4/2022 6:32:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score NIVC Bracket

GCU shocks Wichita State 3-1 for program's highest-RPI opponent victory

By: Adrianna Candelaria

WICHITA, Kan. — The Grand Canyon women's volleyball program won its first-ever Division I national postseason tournament match, prevailing over Wichita State in the first round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship on Sunday.

Although the Lopes posted a dominant 10-point victory in the first set, the remaining frames proved more tedious to pull out the 25-15, 25-27, 26-24, 25-23 victory against the hosts. The win marked the highest-ranked opponent GCU has defeated in 10 Division I seasons with Wichita State entering the match ranked No. 60 in NCAA Ratings Percentage Index.

"We never really got comfortable, but I'm really proud of our grind-it-out mentality, and I'm very happy for our seniors," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said. "Now we prepare for a good Drake squad (on Monday)."

The Lopes (18-10) will play a second-round match against the Bulldogs (27-7), which advanced by defeating Weber State in five sets on Sunday.

GCU was led offensively by outside hitters McKenzie Wise, a sophomore, and Melanie Brecka, a graduate, with 16 points apiece, while senior setter Klaire Mitchell delivered three service aces and 51 assists, one off her season high for assists in a four-set match. Graduate libero Megan Taflinger, a former Shocker, helped end her former team's season with 16 digs and two service aces.

After demolishing Wichita State in the first set, the Shockers fought for a shift in momentum, playing to a tie score in the second set 11 times and ultimately coming out on top in extra points, 27-25, to tie the match at 1-1.

In a tight race for the third frame, it was Mitchell who decided the Lopes fate with a late set-point service ace, her third ace of the match. Wise managed an ace at the service line during the fourth frame as well.

A Taflinger ace and a series of kills from freshman outside hitter Tatum Parrott and senior middle blocker Hannah Eskes put the Lopes ahead 7-2 in the final set. However, the Shockers closed the gap and forced the Lopes to fight for a four-set finish.

While GCU nearly led the fourth set in its entirety, Wichita State chose its moment wisely, forcing ties at 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23, with the latter tie coming on a Brecka kill.

Taflinger and Brecka finished the match with a bang, as the graduate duo posted a service ace and a kill, respectively, to seal the deal. It was Brecka's match-high 15th kills, while Wise and Parrott each had 14 kills.

GCU, which has won eight of its past nine matches, advances to the NIVC second round and will face Drake on Monday in Wichita, Kansas, at 4:30 p.m. (Phoenix time). The winner will advance to a quarterfinal later this week against Pacific (18-13), which defeated Omaha and Santa Clara in the first two rounds.