GCU takes Toledo in 2nd consecutive sweep

Saturday, August 26

Winston-Salem, N.C.

10 a.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0,0-0WAC

Toledo

1-2,0-0MAC

Toledo

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Jaylynn Nash

8/26/2023 1:30:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Trio of Lopes hit over .300 while Mitchell adds double-double; solid defense makes difference

By: Adrianna Candelaria

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Grand Canyon collected its second consecutive sweep to start the season with a 25-22, 25-22, 25-16 win against Toledo on Saturday at the Wake Forest Invitational.

"Really proud of the team effort today," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "Toledo is a well-coached, quality team with some prolific attackers."

Outside hitters Tatum Parrott (sophomore), Ashley Lifgren (senior) and Stella Gkiourda (junior) led the Lopes offensively, each hitting over .300. Parrott swung .375 and recorded a three-set career high of 17 kills while adding three solo blocks and two service aces for 22 points. Lifrgen and Gkiourda notched .381 and .308, respecitvely, with one service ace apeice.

Also with a service ace, graduate setter Klaire Mitchell delivered a double-double with 11 digs and 39 assists to tie her fifth-best career assist total for a three-set match. Mitchell has reached 39 assists in three sets on three previous occasions and owns the top five Division I-era slots for three- and four-set match assists.

GCU also accumulated 52 digs, led by sophomore libero Tatum Thomas (12).

In a competitive first set, the Lopes battled the Rockets through 12 ties and four lead changes, ultimately prevailing with a back-to-back kill and solo block by Parrot.

"We had to make some in-game adjustments to accommodate Toledo but by the middle of set 2, we started to feel comfortable," Nollan said.

The second and third sets each contained only one tie and one lead change and were best characterized by GCU's scoring runs.

The second frame featured two 5-0 Lopes scoring runs., capped by a service ace from Mitchell for a 24-21 lead and a Gkiourda set-point kill.

Although the Rockets scored the first point of the the final set, the Lopes strung together six consecutive points and led by 10 points four times (16-6, 17-7, 18-8 and 19-9). In the end, it was a 3-0 run that featured a kill from junior middle blocker Sydney Reed, a block by Mitchell and sophomore Trista Strasser, and a Lifgren match-point kill to seal the deal.

The Lopes will face Wake Forest on Sunday in Reynolds Gymnasium at 10 a.m. (Phoenix time). The match will be streamed on ESPN+.