Team effort leads to 7th straight win

Tuesday, January 31

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-0,0-0MPSF

Lees-McRae

2-2,0-0Conference Carolinas

Lees-McRae

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

1/31/2023 8:52:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

15 GCU players see court in 3-0 home sweep

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team pushed its winning streak to seven matches with a 3-0 sweep over Lees-McRae on Tuesday night in Antelope Gymnasium.

The ninth-ranked Lopes (7-0) flexed their depth with 15 players getting on the court and 12 players recording a kill in the three-set match.

The first set was all GCU in a 25-18 win as the team outhit the Bobcats .556 to .250. Lopes senior Grayson Browning earned his first start of the season and came out strong with a pair of kills and a dig. Up 11-10, the Lopes went on a 6-0 run that was capped off by junior outside hitter Jackson Hickman with one of GCU service aces.

In the second set, the Lopes shook up the lineup with freshman Jaxon Herr making his collegiate debut at setter and transfer Jack Palmer making his season debut. The Lopes committed only two attacking errors in the 25-17 win with six players recording a kill. Herr impressed with 10 of his team-leading 18 assists in the frame and he had his first service ace to put GCU up 3-0.

Palmer was active on offense, tallying two kills on five swings while Browning did it all with three kills and two blocks to help limit the Bobcats attack. GCU junior Camden Gianni also came off the bench with three kills.

More Lopes came off the bench and saw action in the third and final set as they lead the team to a 25-19 win. Senior Troy Culp made his season debut alongside junior Chibuike Obi at middle blocker and freshman Jordan Lucas, who has logged 21 sets as a libero this year, subbed in as an outside hitter with sophomore Karter Rogers.

Lucas impressed in his first set as an attacking player recording three kills on seven swings with no errors after a prep career with over 400 kills.

In the third frame, the Lopes led wire to wire and used a midset 5-1 run to lead 17-12. Lucas had back-to-back kills to make it 23-17 while Gianni finished the match with a kill thanks to an assist from Culp.

The Lopes will wrap up their midweek series against the Bobcats on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Antelope Gymnasium.