Midweek clash ends in GCU win

Wednesday, February 1

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-0,0-0MPSF

Lees-McRae

2-3,0-0Conference Carolinas

Lees-McRae

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

2/1/2023 8:31:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Lopes extend winning streak to 8 matches in 4 set win

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team wrapped up a midweek series against Lees-McRae with a 3-1 win in Antelope Gymnasium on Wednesday.

The Lopes (8-0) dropped the first set for the first time in four matches but regrouped and hit .397 in the next three frames to complete the comeback.

Both offenses came out strong in the first set as the Lopes hit a match-high .524 but lost the set in a close 25-23 score. The Bobcats (2-3) matched the Lopes hitting .514 and collecting 20 kills, an advantage over GCU's 13. The set was close throughout with 10 ties and four lead changes and Lees-McRae held match point at 24-20. GCU attempted a late comeback with a 3-0 run, but the Bobcat's Nic Brewster finished the set off with kill.

Redshirt freshman middle blocker Matthew Meeker-Hackett made his collegiate debut and played well in his only set of the night. The Tucson native converted all three of his attacking chances and grabbed a dig on defense. Outside hitter Jackson Hickman had five kills to lead the team while freshman setter Jaxon Herr in his first collegiate start had 12 assists in the frame.

The Lopes regrouped in the second set winning easily 25-14. The defense came to play in the set as the Lopes limited the Bobcats to just seven kills with six attacking errors. Redshirt senior outside hitter Christian Janke was the spark plug off the bench finishing with four kills, two service aces and two digs. GCU jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead to begin the set and that advantage grew later on with an extended 7-3 run to make it a 17-10 GCU lead. The Lopes closed out the set on a 5-1 run that included kills from opposite Jonah Gilbert and Janke along with three errors by the Bobcats.

The third set was more dominant play by GCU taking the set 25-17. Gilbert led the way on offense recording four of his team-high 15 kills in the frame on .500 hitting. The GCU redshirt freshman opposite was also involved on defense recording two of the team's four blocks in the set.

GCU jumped out to an early 3-1 lead off a Janke ace and used a mid-set 6-1 run to push the lead farther at 15-8. Freshman middle blocker Cameron Thorne finished the set off with a kill off an assist from Herr.

The Lopes closed out the set in the fourth winning 25-20 after climbing out of an early deficit. Lees-McRae jumped out to a 5-1 lead but a balanced offense attack kept the Lopes in it. GCU only had three attacking errors while hitting .429 and the defense collected a pair of blocks at the net.

Down 16-14 the Lopes used a quick run to regain the lead for good. A kill by Hickman followed by a solo block from Herr tied up the match and Gilbert gave GCU the lead with a kill. The Lopes quickly extended their lead with a 5-1 run that was capped off by a service ace from Janke.

The GCU redshirt senior continues to extend his program record service ace total now up to 13 on the season and 137 in his career.

Gilbert ended the match just a few rallies later with his 15th kill of the match as the Lopes extended their best start in program history to 8-0.

The winning streak is carried into a top-10 weekend showdown against No. 7 UC Irvine. No. 9 GCU will face the Anteaters on Friday in GCU Arena at 6 p.m. before pivoting over to Antelope Gym on Saturday at 4 p.m.