UNI Tournament closes with loss in 5 sets

Saturday, September 10

Cedar Falls, Iowa

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-3,0-0WAC

Northern Iowa

4-5,0-0MVC

Grand Canyon

UNI

Photo by: Adrianna Candelaria

9/10/2022 9:54:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

GCU caps weekend at 1-2; Brecka, Wise named to All-Tournament Team

By: Adrianna Candelaria

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team dropped its second UNI Tournament five-set match after leading 2-0 on Saturday, falling to host Northern Iowa in the nightcap.

"Tonight, we lost to a quality team at their place," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "It's always hard when you don't win a five-set match, but to play three of them in two days is a killer".

From the moment the first volley began, it seemed apparent that this match would pack a punch from both sides. But with eight ties and four lead changes through the first set, GCU (6-3) pulled away with graduate outside hitter Melanie Brecka's fifth kill of the set finishing a 25-22 victory.

In a similarly competitive fashion, the second set featured five tie scores and only two lead changes. After trailing 14-10, the Lopes rallied to the lead and staved off Northern Iowa's push to tie at 24-24. Brecka and freshman outside hitter Tatum Parrott closed out the 26-24 set to put the Lopes ahead 2-0 in the match.

Unfortunately, the same Lopes team that had burned bright during the opening sets soon fizzled. GCU found itself in a deep hole after a 25-8 sucker punch when the third set was over. The fourth set didn't go any smoother for the Lopes, with Northern Iowa maintaining control for a 25-12 victory that sent the match to a fifth set.

Exerting all it had left in the tank, GCU took a 7-6 lead in the deciding set, its 10th frame of the day. Northern Iowa ended the match on a 9-1 run, including scoring the final six points for a 15-8 set to leave the Lopes in second place for the UNI Tournament.

Brecka and sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Wise led the Lopes with 17.5 points and 10.5 points, respectively, and earned All-Tournament Team honors.

"We have so much to work on, with our physical health at the top of the list, but tomorrow we travel and will rest and see what we can improve next week before we play at home," Nollan said.