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Beach VB
at Arizona
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, May 5
Gulf Shores, Ala.
12 p.m.
Grand Canyon
vs
Stanford
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
Experience turns tide for return NCAA tourney trip
5/4/2023 4:15:00 PM | Beach Volleyball, Paul Coro
No. 7 GCU meets No. 10 Stanford with 7 of 10 Lopes lineup players making 2nd appearance
NCAA tournament first round | Friday, May 5 | 12 p.m. (Phoenix time) | Gulf Shores, Ala. |
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#7 GRAND CANYON
LOPES (26-7)
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vs. | #10 STANFORD CARDINAL (28-12) |
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| WATCH: ESPNU, ESPN+ | ||||
GULF SHORES, Ala. – The NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship paints a picturesque scene with immaculate white sand courts lined by palm trees and ESPN camera towers, while the Gulf Place Beach's crystal-blue waves ripple just a stray attack hit away.
College beach volleyball's grand stage might have intimidated Grand Canyon when it made its first NCAA tournament visit last year and lost in the first round. Now, a round-of-16 dual can illuminate how bright the Lopes program shines as the nation's No. 7 program when GCU plays No. 10 Stanford at noon (Phoenix time) on ESPNU.Eight players from last year's 10-player NCAA tournament lineup return, including the Lopes' pairs on the top three courts. GCU (26-7) is more experienced for a major moment, but it also is benefiting from eliminating last year's 10-day layoff by playing a conference tournament last week.
The Lopes already have been in Alabama for 10 days after being runner-up in their first Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Championships in Hunstville, where they split with No. 2 TCU.
"Las
t year, we were just at home practicing trying to get ready for the biggest event of the year," GCU eighth-year head coach Kristen Rohr said. "We've been in that pressure situation at conference this year. That's priceless, to play in that against the top teams in the country already."We knew what this team was capable of. It was getting them over that hump and to believe it. When we play free, we're a much better team."
The Lopes practiced free Thursday on the eve of a rematch with Stanford, which notched a home-court, 4-1 win against GCU on April 26. Even at No. 10, the Cardinal is the lowest-ranked team to beat the Lopes this season.
The NCAA tournament setting plays out differently, with scenarios such as GCU and Stanford practicing simultaneously on neighboring courts Friday or ocean winds toppling a tall, inflatable national championship trophy replica,
GCU took heed to Rohr's pre-practice words to "focus on what we're here to do," The players put in a normal workout until their post-practice ice bath was in the Gulf of Mexico instead of a Lopes Performance Center tub.
"It feels like such a job well done that we're finally here," said GCU senior Abbie Hughes, who has a 15-4 Division I record this season with junior Allison Hansen on Court 1. "We've stuck by each other, had the hard conversations, had the hard weight rooms, conditioning and practices. We push each other every day. It's just feels amazing to be here. We're achieving the things we know we're capable of."Last year, we were overwhelmed with everything because we were happy to be here. Now, we feel we truly deserve to be here, and that we're not an underdog anymore."
The Lopes lost 3-2 in the NCAA tournament first round last season to Georgia State, with each of the three losses coming in the third set. Three sophomores and a freshman were involved in those matches, when Rohr said her team was affected by the do-or-die pressure.
Prepared by what some metrics considered the toughest schedule in the nation, the Lopes now have upperclassmen in seven of their 10 spots and four of them will be playing their final college competition this weekend.
The GCU program that started with a winless season in 2013 turned when Rohr took over in 2015. Two year later, the Lopes cracked the 2017 preseason national rankings and they have never left them since then. This is the second consecutive season that the Lopes are the NCAA tournament's No. 7 seed.
"Coming back here to finish the journey with an incredible group of women and our staff, it's one of those moments where you feel blessed," said fifth-year senior Anaya Evans, who came to GCU from England and is 14-2 this season with graduate partner Cami Sanchez in Court 3 Division I matchups. "Nothing could make it better. I'm already so happy. We've done the hard work. This is the cherry on top."Last year was so over the top. Now it just feels like we're ready. The preparation has been better. Kristen has done such an incredible job that I couldn't thank her more."
If GCU wins Friday, it would advance to play Friday's winner of No. 2 TCU vs. No. 15 Stetson. That quarterfinal will air on ESPN2 at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time). A semifinal would also be on ESPN2 at 12:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) on Saturday. Sunday's national championship will be at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPN.
Players Mentioned
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