Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, February 4
Chicago, Ill.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
6-2
3
at
0
Loyola Chicago
4-5
1
2
3
F
Grand Canyon
25
25
26
3
Loyola Chicago
17
19
24
0
Photo by: Skyler Coblentz
Full-strength Lopes win 4th straight
2/4/2022 8:47:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Janke returns to starting lineup, leads Lopes to 3-0 win
CHICAGO – The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team continued its hot play Friday night with a 3-0 road win over Loyola Chicago.
The 25-17, 25-19, 26-24 sweep was GCU's fourth straight win and third sweep in a row, as they outhit the Ramblers .386 to .262 and held a 6-3 advantage in service aces. It was the third match in a row that the Lopes hit over .350, helping them extend their set winning streak to 10 in a row.
GCU junior outside hitter Christian Janke returned to the starting lineup after missing the last six matches with an ankle injury. For the first time this season, Loeps head coach Matt Werle was able to use the full-strength lineup that he envisioned at the start of the year, and the results showed at Rambler's Gentile Arena.
No. 8 GCU (5-2) came out of the gates strong, hitting .522 in the first set en route to a dominating 25-17 first frame. Janke made an immediate impact, recording a block with sophomore middle blocker Colin Lovejoy to put GCU up 4-2. The Lopes had a balanced offensive attack as Janke, sophomore outside hitter Camden Gianni and junior opposite Hugo Fischer recorded 11 of the team's 15 kills.
Freshman setter Nicholas Slight continued to set up the three-headed GCU attack, finishing with a career-high 38 assists.
In the second set, GCU hit .321 while limiting Loyola Chicago (4-5) to a match-low .115 mark in a 25-19 win. A Fischer kill, Gianni ace and three Rambler attacking errors put GCU up 6-1 and the Lopes held the lead through the set. Fischer took control in the frame, converting a team-high six kills and two blocks. Up 21-19, GCU won the final five points to close out the set with the aide of junior setter Heath Hughes' ace and a Gianni kill.
Loyola regrouped and outhit GCU in the third set, .464 to .344, but the Lopes prevailed in extra points 26-24. It was a back-and-forth frame to the very end, as the teams combined for five 3-0 runs.
Gianni aces pushed GCU to its biggest lead at 15-12 before Fischer's ace did the same later in the set at an 18-15 advantage. Loyola came back to tie the match at 24-24 before Fischer and Lovejoy each recorded a kill to close out the win.
Janke and Fischer paced the Lopes with 12 kills each while Gianni extended his double-digit kill streak to seven matches. GCU sophomore middle blocker Jacob Guerber was efficient yet again, converting six of his seven attacks into kills.
The Lopes will travel to No. 6 Lewis on Saturday for a match starting at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time).
The 25-17, 25-19, 26-24 sweep was GCU's fourth straight win and third sweep in a row, as they outhit the Ramblers .386 to .262 and held a 6-3 advantage in service aces. It was the third match in a row that the Lopes hit over .350, helping them extend their set winning streak to 10 in a row.
GCU junior outside hitter Christian Janke returned to the starting lineup after missing the last six matches with an ankle injury. For the first time this season, Loeps head coach Matt Werle was able to use the full-strength lineup that he envisioned at the start of the year, and the results showed at Rambler's Gentile Arena.
No. 8 GCU (5-2) came out of the gates strong, hitting .522 in the first set en route to a dominating 25-17 first frame. Janke made an immediate impact, recording a block with sophomore middle blocker Colin Lovejoy to put GCU up 4-2. The Lopes had a balanced offensive attack as Janke, sophomore outside hitter Camden Gianni and junior opposite Hugo Fischer recorded 11 of the team's 15 kills.
Freshman setter Nicholas Slight continued to set up the three-headed GCU attack, finishing with a career-high 38 assists.
In the second set, GCU hit .321 while limiting Loyola Chicago (4-5) to a match-low .115 mark in a 25-19 win. A Fischer kill, Gianni ace and three Rambler attacking errors put GCU up 6-1 and the Lopes held the lead through the set. Fischer took control in the frame, converting a team-high six kills and two blocks. Up 21-19, GCU won the final five points to close out the set with the aide of junior setter Heath Hughes' ace and a Gianni kill.
Loyola regrouped and outhit GCU in the third set, .464 to .344, but the Lopes prevailed in extra points 26-24. It was a back-and-forth frame to the very end, as the teams combined for five 3-0 runs.
Gianni aces pushed GCU to its biggest lead at 15-12 before Fischer's ace did the same later in the set at an 18-15 advantage. Loyola came back to tie the match at 24-24 before Fischer and Lovejoy each recorded a kill to close out the win.
Janke and Fischer paced the Lopes with 12 kills each while Gianni extended his double-digit kill streak to seven matches. GCU sophomore middle blocker Jacob Guerber was efficient yet again, converting six of his seven attacks into kills.
The Lopes will travel to No. 6 Lewis on Saturday for a match starting at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Team Stats
GCU
LUCMVB
Kills
44
37
Errors
12
16
Attempts
83
80
Hitting %
.386
.263
Points
57.5
47.5
Assists
42
35
Aces
6
3
Blocks
7.5
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
12
Aces
2
Blocks
3
Kills
10
Aces
3
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OPP
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
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