Sweep central: Lopes notch 5th of season at Iowa

Sunday, September 10

Iowa City, Iowa

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-4,0-0WAC

Iowa

6-4,0-0Big Ten

Grand Canyon

Iowa

9/10/2023 3:00:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

GCU posts 2nd consecutive match of .300-plus hitting

By: Adrianna Candelaria

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Grand Canyon returned to Xtreme Arena on Sunday with something to prove, responding to Saturday's five-set loss against Central Michigan with a 25-18, 25-14, 25-16 victory over host Iowa.

"What a great performance today," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said. "We played well on both sides of the ball."

GCU (5-4) recorded its fifth sweep victory in its ninth match. Last season, the Lopes picked up their fifth sweep in their 20th match.

The star-studded .367 match hitting percentage was headlined by sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott (.375), who also served a season-high tying four aces, and junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop (.556), who posted a career-high 12 kills. Uhlenhop and sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser defended the net with four block assists apiece, challenging Iowa with eight blocks to one.

Senior outside hitter and birthday girl Ashley Lifgren (.250 hitting) delivered a solid performance as well, leading the Lopes in digs (15) in addition to contributing five kills and three blocks.

Meanwhile, GCU graduate setter Klaire Mitchell notched 32 assists.

The Lopes reached a .400 hitting percentage match peak in the first set, building a six-point lead off of a 4-0 scoring run comprised of an Iowa error, one of Parrott's six kills in the set and two aces by senior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda to force a Hawkeyes timeout at 19-13. Gkiourda delivered three of GCU's nine aces of the day. The Lopes took the first set 25-18 with a final three-point push from Strasser (kill), Mitchell (ace) and a set-point block by Strasser and Lifgren.

GCU held Iowa (6-4) to .065 and .033 hitting in the second and third frames, respectively, starting the second set strong with a kill from sophomore outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez. The Lopes led the set in its entirety and rolled to an 11-point victory with a kill from Lifgren to seal the set. Uhlenhop had a six-kill set while Parrott added another five, giving her 11 kills in the first two sets.

But the Lopes placed the final nail in the coffin with eight unanswered points in the third sets; including two Uhlenhop kills, two Parrott aces, two Lifgren kills and two Iowa errors that boosted the score from 15-14 to 23-14. A set-point kill from Uhlenhop, her sixth of the set, and a match-point Iowa attacking error solidified the sweep.

Parrott and Mitchell were both named to the Hawkeye Invitational All-Tournament team.

GCU will travel to the Big West/WAC Challenge in Fullerton, California, to face Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine next weekend.