GCU tallies 2nd straight sweep, 6th of season

Friday, September 15

Fullerton, Calif.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-4,0-0WAC

Cal State Fullerton

1-7,0-0Big West

Grand Canyon

Cal St. Fullerton

9/15/2023 7:44:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Lopes post 3rd consecutive match of .300-plus hitting

By: Adrianna Candelaria

FULLERTON, Calif. — Grand Canyon dominated Cal State Fullerton with a 25-22, 25-19, 25-15 sweep at Titan Gym on Friday evening. The Lopes notched their second straight sweep, and sixth sweep of the season, to open the Big West/WAC Challenge with their third consecutive match of .300-plus hitting.

GCU sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott led the Lopes offensively with a season-high hitting percentage of .400 for 14 kills, followed by junior outside hitter McKenzie Wise, who recorded a season high of .360 hitting for 10 kills in addition to a team-high three service aces and nine digs. With graduate Klaire Mitchell (32 assists) setting junior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda and sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser for .333 hitting percentages, the Lopes successively posted .364, .200 and .378 hitting sets for a match average of .320.

"Proud of our team for another sweep," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "Tatum P had another great attack line, Mac (Wise) stepped up for us and Klaire ran a smooth offense. Eight team blocks is just a cherry on a top."

Junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop defended the net with two block solos and five block assists, with Mitchell notching four blocking assists as well.

GCU (6-4) did not lead in the first set until a closing 4-0 run took a 25-22 win for a 1-0 match lead. The Lopes trailed 19-14 before a Mitchell kill and Wise ace started the turnaround, which ended with another Wise ace on set point.

Parrott helped the Lopes to a better start in the second sett, accounting of six of their first 13 points with five kills and an ace. Fullerton errors helped close out the 25-19 set for a 2-0 GCU lead in the match.

The Lopes left little doubt in the third set, when they darted to an 8-1 lead with six unanswered points started by two Wise aces. It was Wise finishing a set again wtih a kill off Mitchell's assist for the 25-15 finale.

GCU defeated Cal State Fullerton for the first time after previously falling to the Titans at home in 2016 (3-1 loss) and 2022 (3-2 loss).

The Lopes continued the Big West/WAC Challenge on Saturday with a 2 p.m. match against UC Irving before beginning WAC play on the road,. GCU will play at Southern Utah on Thursday and Utah Tech on Sept. 23.