Homestand produces 3rd straight 3-0 win

Friday, March 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

12-8,3-3MPSF

Tusculum

5-12,0-0DI Independent

Tusculum

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

3/18/2022 8:17:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

GCU downs Tusculum with Rogers' 9 kills, Hughes' 29 assists

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team continued a dominant homestand with a 3-0 win over Tusculum on Friday night at GCU Arena.

In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Lopes (12-8) limited the Pioneers (5-13) to just .101 hitting while recording seven blocks. Offensively, GCU hit .364 as a team with nine players recorded at least one kill in the win.

In a 25-15 first-set win, the Lopes had just three attacking errors on 23 attacks. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Jacob Guerber had four kills on .600 hitting to lead all players. The Lopes jumped out to a 6-2 lead after a block from redshirt sophomore outside hitter Jackson Hickman and junior middle blocker Colin Lovejoy. Later in the set, the Lopes scored six straight points to jump ahead 17-8 as redshirt junior outside hitter Christian Janke tallied a kill and ace in the run. Guerber finished the set with a kill.

In a closer 25-19 second set, the Lopes hit a match-low .208 but limited the Pioneers to .133 hitting while recording three blocks. The Lopes held an 8-2 lead but Tusculum went on a 12-5 run to take its first lead at 14-13. Hickman and redshirt freshman outside hitter Karter Rogers combined for three kills while Lovejoy tallied a solo block as GCU scored four points in a row to lead 19-15.

The Lopes scored four of the five final points in the set while Rogers and Hickman ended it with three kills each.

GCU closed out the match with a 25-15 third set. Rogers stayed hot and led the Lopes with six of his career-high nine kills in the third set. Redshirt junior outside hitter Grayson Browning and redshirt sophomore middle blocker Chibuike Obi came off the bench and combined for a block while redshirt junior middle blocker Kyle Thompson had two kills in his first action of the night.

A 6-0 GCU run pushed the lead to a comfortable 17-9 score and the Lopes cruised to the finish line winning their ninth-straight set of the homestand.

The Lopes will wrap up the homestand with a second match against Tusculum on Saturday at 4 p.m. at GCU Arena.