Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus UT Rio Grande Valley on August 30, 2025 , Win , 3, to, 0
W Volleyball
vs UT Rio Grande Valley
W 3-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, September 8
Iowa City, Iowa
1 p.m.
Grand Canyon
4-3,0-0WAC
3
vs
0
Missouri State
4-3,0-0MVC
1
2
3
F
Grand Canyon
25
25
25
3
Missouri St.
15
18
23
0
4th sweep of season comes vs. Missouri State
9/8/2023 2:54:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Lopes have swept every neutral opponent this season, play Central Michigan on Saturday
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Grand Canyon swung its fourth sweep of the season with a Hawkeye Invitational-opening victory against Missouri State on Friday.
"We put forth a good defensive effort today," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "We served well and were able to put some pressure on them early."
Dominating the Bears 25-15, 25-18, 25-23, the Lopes (4-3) posted their fifth-best Division I-era serving performance with 10 aces and only three service errors, while holding Missouri State to .053 hitting.
In the third set, GCU sophomore libero Tatum Thomas and junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop led the Lopes defensively with 15 digs and three blocks, respectively. Thomas also notched two key service aces in the third set, with one following a kill by sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser early on to put GCU up 3-1, and the second coming after a kill by senior outside hitter Ashley Lifgren evened the score at 23-23. Thomas served out the remaining two points, as Missouri State made an attacking error and Lifgren notched her team-best 12th kill of the match.
The match began closely in the first set with ties at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 but quickly turned into a 5-0 Lopes scoring run with the help of some Missouri State errors, kills from Lifgren, senior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda, and junior middle blocker Sydney Reed, and an ace from graduate setter Klaire Mitchell to force a Bears' timeout. Mitchell also posted 25 assists and seven digs for the match.
Two additional 4-0 runs for GCU made all the difference, as a sequence of Missouri state errors, a kill from junior outside hitter McKenzie Wise and an ace from Gkiourda sealed the first set; Gkiourda delivered three kills and two aces in the set.
In true "19 Strong" fashion, the second set featured some different faces, including senior outside hitter Hope Hanak-Harper with two kills, senior setter Ava Mason with an assist and a kill, and senior libero Castan Sturm with a service ace. The final points of set were decided by a Hanak-Harper kill, Mason's kill at 24-18 and a Missouri State error. Freshman libero Bella Anderson also posted two service aces at 9-9 and 22-16 of the set.
The Lopes continue competition tomorrow at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) versus Central Michigan in Iowa City.
"We put forth a good defensive effort today," Lopes head coach Tim Nollan said. "We served well and were able to put some pressure on them early."
Dominating the Bears 25-15, 25-18, 25-23, the Lopes (4-3) posted their fifth-best Division I-era serving performance with 10 aces and only three service errors, while holding Missouri State to .053 hitting.
In the third set, GCU sophomore libero Tatum Thomas and junior middle blocker Alissa Uhlenhop led the Lopes defensively with 15 digs and three blocks, respectively. Thomas also notched two key service aces in the third set, with one following a kill by sophomore middle blocker Trista Strasser early on to put GCU up 3-1, and the second coming after a kill by senior outside hitter Ashley Lifgren evened the score at 23-23. Thomas served out the remaining two points, as Missouri State made an attacking error and Lifgren notched her team-best 12th kill of the match.
The match began closely in the first set with ties at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 but quickly turned into a 5-0 Lopes scoring run with the help of some Missouri State errors, kills from Lifgren, senior outside hitter Stella Gkiourda, and junior middle blocker Sydney Reed, and an ace from graduate setter Klaire Mitchell to force a Bears' timeout. Mitchell also posted 25 assists and seven digs for the match.
Two additional 4-0 runs for GCU made all the difference, as a sequence of Missouri state errors, a kill from junior outside hitter McKenzie Wise and an ace from Gkiourda sealed the first set; Gkiourda delivered three kills and two aces in the set.
In true "19 Strong" fashion, the second set featured some different faces, including senior outside hitter Hope Hanak-Harper with two kills, senior setter Ava Mason with an assist and a kill, and senior libero Castan Sturm with a service ace. The final points of set were decided by a Hanak-Harper kill, Mason's kill at 24-18 and a Missouri State error. Freshman libero Bella Anderson also posted two service aces at 9-9 and 22-16 of the set.
The Lopes continue competition tomorrow at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) versus Central Michigan in Iowa City.
Team Stats
GCU
MOST
Kills
32
34
Errors
13
28
Attempts
99
113
Hitting %
.192
.053
Points
49.0
45.0
Assists
30
33
Aces
10
5
Blocks
7
6
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
12
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
5
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
3
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Players Mentioned
LIB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
LIB
/ Women's Volleyball
LIB
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
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