Regular season wraps up against USC

Friday, April 15

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

USC

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4/14/2022 5:56:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Lopes can clinch No. 2 seed in MPSF Tournament with 2 wins

By: Jerob Moon


No. 10 Grand Canyon Lopes (16-9)	vs	No. 5 USC Trojans (19-6)
		Friday-Saturday, April 15-April 16 6 p.m./4 p.m. GCU Arena
Match Notes		Live Stats Live Video

The No. 10 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team will wrap up the regular season with two matches against No. 5 USC. MPSF seeding in on the line this weekend with the Lopes able to clinch the No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. GCU is coming off two straight wins at home two weeks ago against No. 12 Stanford. This is the first meeting between GCU and USC since last season's MPSF Championship quarterfinals when the Lopes won 3-1.

Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN +

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

TOURNEY SEEDING SCENARIOS: The Lopes have the opportunity to clinch the No. 2 seed in next week's MPSF Championship with two wins against the Trojans. Even with a split GCU could earn the two seed provided it won the sets/points battle in the series. In the event USC, GCU, and Pepperdine each finish 7-5, the highest percentage of sets won in the head-to-head matches between the tied teams would determine the seeds.
HOME SWEET HOME: The Lopes have enjoyed moving to GCU Arena for a full season for the first time in program history. GCU has amassed an 11-3 record and enters this week on a seven match winning streak. With one more win the Lopes will set a new single season record with their 12th win of the season. In home games the Lopes are hitting .318 as a team while recording 124 blocks defensively.
SENIOR NIGHT: Before Saturday's match begins GCU will honor two seniors, setter Heath Hughes and opposite Hugo Fischer. Hughes has appeared in 78 matches with 1,651 assists, fourth most in GCU history while Fischer has recorded over 500 kills, 200 digs and 100 blocks in 65 career matches.

SCOUTING

Coming off a 5 win season in 2021 USC has over performed all expectations with 19 wins and a top-5 ranking entering the final week of the season. The Trojans were nearly unbeatable at home with a 13-1 record this season compared to a 6-5 road and neutral site record. USC ranks inside the top five nationally in four categories while the connection between setter Chris Hall and outside hitter Simon Gallas has been special. Gallas and graduate Sam Kobrine each have over 300 kills this season while Hall has 1,033 assists. Defensively middle blocker Liam Schroeder has been a brick wall with 81 blocks.