Offensive showcase pushes Lopes to 17-1

Wednesday, March 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

17-1,5-1MPSF

Ball State

11-7,4-2MIVA

Ball St.

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

3/8/2023 8:33:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

No. 5 Lopes hit .511 as a team, sweep No. 11 Ball State at home

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon men's volleyball team were dominant in a 3-0 sweep over No. 11 Ball State on Wednesday night at GCU Arena.

The Lopes (17-1) converted more than half of thier attacking chances hitting .511 as a team. It was a season-high mark and the fourth highest match hitting percentage in program history. As a team the Lopes had 53 kills the most in a three-set match since Jan. 30, 2021.

Redshirt sophomore setter Nicholas Slight, the reigning MPSF Offensive Player of the Week, guided the GCU offense with 45 assists while outside hitters Camden Gianni and Jackson Hickman combined for 30 kills on .500 hitting.

The first set went into extra points as GCU prevailed by a close 26-24 score over Ball State (11-7). Both offenses came out strong as the Lopes hit .441 and the Cardinals hit .394. Ball State jumped out to a 15-11 lead and held it till the end of the set. Down 23-21 the Lopes finished the set on a 5-1 run to win. Senior outside hitter Christian Janke tied up the set at 23-23 and later gave GCU a 25-24 lead on a solo block. An attacking error by Ball State clinched the 1-0 lead for the Lopes.

The second set was just as tight with GCU prevailing 25-23. Both teams combined for just four attacking errors in the set and the Lopes hit a match-high .633. Hickman had seven of his team-leading 17 kills in the set while Gianni poured in six kills on nine errorless swings. Both teams matched each other point-for-point and neither team lead by more than two points. GCU held a 23-22 lead, but Ball State came right back to tie it. Freshman middle blocker Cameron Throne put GCU up 24-23 and Gianni ended the set in the next rally to put GCU up 2-0.

The offensive onslaught by the Lopes proved to be too much in the third set as they closed out the win with a 25-19 win. The Lopes hit .462 and all six offensive players had a kill in the frame. Junior middle blocker Rico Wardlow was a perfect five-for-five in attacking chances in the set and Slight collected his final 12 assists of the night. Leading 20-18 the Lopes closed out the match on a 6-1 run. Wardlow had three straight kills and Gianni ended the match with a service ace.

The Lopes wrap up the week with a home match against Olivet Nazarene on Friday at 6 pm in GCU Arena.