Completed Event: Volleyball versus Northern Arizona on September 7, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 3
Volleyball
vs Northern Arizona
L 1-3
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Thursday, September 28
Phoenix, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
10-4,3-0WAC
3
vs
0
Abilene Christian
6-9,1-2WAC
1
2
3
F
Abilene Christian
26
19
11
0
Grand Canyon
28
25
25
3
Homecoming hoists 6th straight sweep
9/28/2023 9:47:00 PM | Volleyball
Lopes hit .452 on the match
Grand Canyon notched its third consecutive sweep of WAC competition, sixth straight sweep, and 10th 3-0 victory of the season, with a Thursday night win over Abilene Christian (6-9, WAC 1-2) on its home floor that the Lopes have not seen since early September. GCU (10-4, WAC 3-0) rose with the high Havoc and Lope fan energy to record a season-best hitting percentage of .452 for its seventh consecutive match with .300-plus hitting.
"Wow do I love playing at home," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "The fans, the atmosphere; we have missed it."
Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott hammered 18 kills for .455 on the match, with one service ace and one solo block to the lead the Lopes with 20 points. The Phoenix native is now tied for the second-most kills in a GCU Division-I-era three-set match.
Graduate setter Klaire Mitchell (32 assists) also fitted senior outside hitter Ashley Lifgren (.478), sophomore outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez (.545), junior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda (.571) junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop (.600), junior middle blocker Sydney Reed (.500), sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser (1.000), and freshman outside hitter Ellie Frey (.500) for strong stat lines. Lifgren punched 11 kills for 11 points while Ramirez and Gkiourda each totaled eight points with seven and five respective kills.
In a balanced defensive effort, Lifgren and sophomore libero Tatum Thomas notched eight digs apiece as Uhlenhop guarded the net with two solo blocks; Parrott, Ramirez, Gkiourda and Reed each posted one solo block of their own, totaling six total team blocks to Abilene Christian's one.
"We started off a little slow, but we have been on the road for what feels like forever, and Abilene came in with some tough serving early, so I understand the progression."
The battle to claim set one churned 16 ties and five lead changes, with each squad hitting over .300 and serving three service aces. After tying the set 21-21 with a kill by Ramirez, the Wildcats went on a 3-0 run, and nearly robbed the Lopes of their sixth consecutive sweep (21-24). But GCU fought back with a huge Gkiuorda solo block (22-24) and a Parrott kill (23-24) to force an Abilene Christian timeout and regain the momentum.
An ACU attacking error made the set 24-24 before the Wildcats' Breanna Box notched a kill (25-24) to put the Lopes on their toes once again. Parrott posted back-to-back kills to give GCU a 26-25 edge, but ACU's Ashli Edmiston evened the score soon after (26-26). GCU clinched the first set with one final swing by Parrot (27-26) and an Abilene Christian attacking error (28-26).
GCU started set two with a 2-0 lead after an ACU service error and a Lifgren kill, nearly leading the set in its entirety, with the exception of Abilene Christian taking control for one point (6-7) before Parrott punched two consecutive kills (8-7), returning the reins to the Lopes who held them for the remainder of the match. Mitchell took set-point with kill, followed by a Thomas assisted Lifgren kill for a 25-19 finish.
But the Lopes brought pure domination to the third set, defeating the Wildcats 25-11, hitting .500 and holding ACU to .136, recording four aces to Abilene Christian's one, and notching 13 kills to ACU's seven. A 6-0 lead comprised of two Parrott kills, two Gkiourda kills, a Thomas service ace and an Abilene Christian attacking error gave GCU all the fuel it needed to finish strong. Senior setter Ava Mason posted her first service ace of the season to give the Lopes a 13-point lead (17-4) which ultimately peaked into a 15-point lead on back-to-back Parrott and Gkiourda kills (20-5). GCU clinched the match on two ACU setting errors.
" I cant wait to come back for another great conference match against a good opponent," Nollan said.
Tarleton (11-6, WAC 2-1) visits GCU Arena on Saturday at 2 p.m. (Phoenix time).
"Wow do I love playing at home," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "The fans, the atmosphere; we have missed it."
Sophomore outside hitter Tatum Parrott hammered 18 kills for .455 on the match, with one service ace and one solo block to the lead the Lopes with 20 points. The Phoenix native is now tied for the second-most kills in a GCU Division-I-era three-set match.
Graduate setter Klaire Mitchell (32 assists) also fitted senior outside hitter Ashley Lifgren (.478), sophomore outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez (.545), junior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda (.571) junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop (.600), junior middle blocker Sydney Reed (.500), sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser (1.000), and freshman outside hitter Ellie Frey (.500) for strong stat lines. Lifgren punched 11 kills for 11 points while Ramirez and Gkiourda each totaled eight points with seven and five respective kills.
In a balanced defensive effort, Lifgren and sophomore libero Tatum Thomas notched eight digs apiece as Uhlenhop guarded the net with two solo blocks; Parrott, Ramirez, Gkiourda and Reed each posted one solo block of their own, totaling six total team blocks to Abilene Christian's one.
"We started off a little slow, but we have been on the road for what feels like forever, and Abilene came in with some tough serving early, so I understand the progression."The battle to claim set one churned 16 ties and five lead changes, with each squad hitting over .300 and serving three service aces. After tying the set 21-21 with a kill by Ramirez, the Wildcats went on a 3-0 run, and nearly robbed the Lopes of their sixth consecutive sweep (21-24). But GCU fought back with a huge Gkiuorda solo block (22-24) and a Parrott kill (23-24) to force an Abilene Christian timeout and regain the momentum.
An ACU attacking error made the set 24-24 before the Wildcats' Breanna Box notched a kill (25-24) to put the Lopes on their toes once again. Parrott posted back-to-back kills to give GCU a 26-25 edge, but ACU's Ashli Edmiston evened the score soon after (26-26). GCU clinched the first set with one final swing by Parrot (27-26) and an Abilene Christian attacking error (28-26).
GCU started set two with a 2-0 lead after an ACU service error and a Lifgren kill, nearly leading the set in its entirety, with the exception of Abilene Christian taking control for one point (6-7) before Parrott punched two consecutive kills (8-7), returning the reins to the Lopes who held them for the remainder of the match. Mitchell took set-point with kill, followed by a Thomas assisted Lifgren kill for a 25-19 finish.
But the Lopes brought pure domination to the third set, defeating the Wildcats 25-11, hitting .500 and holding ACU to .136, recording four aces to Abilene Christian's one, and notching 13 kills to ACU's seven. A 6-0 lead comprised of two Parrott kills, two Gkiourda kills, a Thomas service ace and an Abilene Christian attacking error gave GCU all the fuel it needed to finish strong. Senior setter Ava Mason posted her first service ace of the season to give the Lopes a 13-point lead (17-4) which ultimately peaked into a 15-point lead on back-to-back Parrott and Gkiourda kills (20-5). GCU clinched the match on two ACU setting errors.
" I cant wait to come back for another great conference match against a good opponent," Nollan said.
Tarleton (11-6, WAC 2-1) visits GCU Arena on Saturday at 2 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Team Stats
ACU
GCU
Kills
35
47
Errors
14
7
Attempts
98
91
Hitting %
.214
.440
Points
43.0
63.0
Assists
33
43
Aces
7
8
Blocks
1
8
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
18
Aces
1
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
7
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
5
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
OH
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
LIB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballKendra Potts Post Match Press Conference | GCU vs NAU 9.7.25
Monday, September 08
“You don’t know what it’s like.” | The Lope-a-Palooza Experience
Saturday, August 30
Bella Nunez & Sophia Parlanti Press Conference | GCU vs LIU | August 29, 2025
Saturday, August 30
Kendra Potts Press Conference | GCU vs LIU | August 29, 2025
Saturday, August 30