Record night brings 10th road sweep of season

Monday, October 16

Riverside, Calif.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

14-5,7-1WAC

California Baptist

10-9,3-5WAC

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Photo by: CBU Athletics

10/16/2023 8:53:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Parrott breaks GCU Division I-era 3-set match kill record, team sets assist mark

By: Adrianna Candelaria

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Grand Canyon grinded out its fifth WAC sweep of the season and second consecutive conference win, defeating seventh-place California Baptist in a 25-18, 25-19, 32-30 road battle, to maintain it's second-place standing.

"Being able to still win the third after being down eight (points) shows the potential this team has," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "I am proud of this team getting through the first half of conference play, and for going 7-1 with six of those matches on the road."

Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott (22 kills, 23.5 points) broke the GCU Division I-era three-set match kill record, previously set by Yeny Murillo in 2021 with 19 kills.

Senior outside hitter Ashley Lifgren (12 kills), sophomore outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez (five kills), junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop (four kills), sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser (three kills), junior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda (two kills), graduate setter Klaire Mitchell (two kills) and freshman outside hitter Ellie Frey (one kill) combined with Parrott for 51 kills to tie for the second-most team kills, just one shy of the record (52) in a three-set match during GCU's Division I era.

Mitchell guided the Lopes to a .331 match hitting percentage, tying her own GCU Division I-era three-set match assist record (46). With two additional assists by freshman libero Bella Anderson, and one apiece from Parrott, sophomore libero Tatum Thomas and junior outside hitter McKenzie Wise, the Lopes reached a grand total of 51 assists, the most recorded in a three-set match by a GCU Division I-era team.

"What a performance from Klaire and Tatum Parrott," Nollan said. "The numbers they put up were bigtime."

Thomas defended the floor with a team-high 11 digs, while Strasser protected the net with six blocks for the Lopes (14-5, 7-1 WAC).

"Give CBU credit; they didn't back down," Nollan said. "But, when you look at the stats, you see we outperformed them in kills, blocks, digs and assists. We played really well, minus the first 12 points in the third set."

Despite GCU leading the match 2-0, California Baptist (10-9, 3-5 WAC) battled to the final whistle, taking GCU on a 32-30 rollercoaster third frame of nine ties and three lead changes. The Lancers held all the momentum in the third set until a Lopes 6-0 run erupted to wipe away a 20-15 hole. Three successive CBU attacking errors, a combo block by Mitchell and Uhlenhop, a Lifgren kill and a Gkiourda ace allowed GCU to take its first lead of the set at 21-20. Ultimately, Parrott's 22nd kill of the match and a block by Mitchell and Strasser clinched the road sweep.

The Lopes return home to host sixth-place Utah Valley (7-12, 4-4 WAC) on Thursday at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time) in Antelope Gymnasium, before returning to GCU Arena on Saturday with a 3 p.m. match versus 10th-place Seattle U (6-13, 1-7 WAC).