Sweep streak continues at Utah Tech

Saturday, September 23

St. George, Utah

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

9-4,2-0WAC

Utah Tech

4-8,0-2WAC

Grand Canyon

Utah Tech

9/23/2023 3:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

GCU posts 5th straight sweep, 6th consecutive match of .300-plus hitting

By: Adrianna Candelaria

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Grand Canyon notched its second consecutive sweep of WAC play with a Saturday win at Utah Tech that was the Lopes' fifth straight sweep and ninth 3-0 victory of the season.

GCU graduate setter Klaire Mitchell achieved her first double-double of the WAC season (35 assists, 10 digs) and fifth overall this season, leading the Lopes offense to its sixth consecutive match with .300-plus hitting (.318). GCU won 25-22, 25-19, 25-19, with the defense keeping the Trailbazers to .050 hitting over the final two sets.

"Proud of our team effort to complete the trip with another sweep," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "Klaire, again, orchestrated a great match for us, Ashley rose to meet the challenge on the road and Ana (Ramirez) had quite possibly her best match of the year. This group continues to impress me with their fight."

The GCU pin hitters put in work, as outside hitters Ashley Lifgren (senior), Anaelena Ramirez (sophomore) chipped away for 12 points apiece, while Tatum Parrott (sophomore) led the Lopes with 14.5 points. Lifgren posted 12 kills to tie her season-high total while delivering a dominant .400 hitting percentage. Ramirez also had quite the day, recording a .364 in addition to career-high points (12.5), kills (10), and blocks (3).

Showing strength up the middle as well, junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop (1.000) and sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser (.333) notched four and five kills, respectively. Uhlenhop played defense in the air and on the ground, posting one solo block, two block assists and two digs. Meanwhile, GCU sophomore libero Tatum Thomas delivered 21 digs.

"We didn't play as clean as we wanted to from the service line, but I really like how our defense stepped up in the second and third sets," Nollan said.

The Lopes made 13 service errors but managed six service aces, with three from Mitchell and one apeice from Parrott, freshman outside hitter Ellie Frey and freshman libero Bella Anderson.

GCU started strong in the first set, with back-to back kills by Parrott for a 2-0 lead. But it was Strasser who led the way offensively with a team-high four kills in the first set, including a strike that lifted the Lopes to a 24-18 lead. Although Utah Tech made a late 4-0 charge, Lifgren stiifled the momentum, putting away the 25-22 frame with her third kill of the match.

After taking a 4-0 lead with kills by Mitchell, Parrott and Strasser and a Trailbalzers attacking error, the Lopes led the second set in its entirety with Ramirez and Lifgren at the helm with five kills each. GCU built its largest lead of the set at 21-16 with a 3-0 run, featuring a Ramirez block and kill. Parrott closed a 25-19 second set with her sixth kill of the match on an assist by Thomas.

The third frame looked a little different, as the Lopes played from behind until reaching a 16-16 crossroads. When trailing 16-12, the Lopes buckled down and produced a 10-1 scoring tear that began with a block by Parrott and Uhlenhop and featured aces from Frey and Anderson, a kill and block from Uhlenhop and three kills by Lifgren. Successive kills by Ramirez at 23-19, Strasser at 24-19 and Parrott at 25-19 concluded the match.

The Lopes will continue WAC play by hosting Abilene Christian on Thursday night and Tarleton on Saturday night at GCU Arena.