Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, January 19
La Jolla, Calif.
8 p.m.
Grand Canyon
6-0,0-0MPSF
3
at
0
UC San Diego
2-5,0-0Big West
1
2
3
F
Grand Canyon
25
25
25
3
UC San Diego
17
13
17
0
Photo by: Wesley Kurz
Undefeated start extends with road sweep
1/19/2024 10:18:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
No. 5 Lopes hit .455 in 3-0 victory at No. 18 UC San Diego
LA JOLLA, Calif. – It was business as usual for the No. 5 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team, picking up a 3-0 win over No. 18 UC San Diego on Friday night for its fifth straight win to start the season.
The Lopes (6-0) were in complete control all night, hitting a season-high .462 for their third consecutive match hitting above .400. They held UCSD (2-5) to less than 20 points in each set, collecting a season-high nine blocks and limiting the Tritons to .078 hitting. On the flip side, GCU recorded just eight attacking errors on 66 attacks.
Senior opposite Camden Gianni did it all collecting 13 kills on .417 hitting to go along with 11 digs and 14 points. Five different Lopes hit over .400 in the match as redshirt junior setter Nicholas Slight continued to pace the GCU offense with 33 assists.
The Lopes started their longest road trip of the season with a 25-17 first-set win. GCU took advantage of seven service errors and six attacking errors from the Tritons in the frame, countering with a .353 hitting clip. Gianni converted his first six attacks and added an ace, his 16th of the season.
The GCU offense hit another level in the 25-13 second set, hitting .600 with just one attacking error to take a 2-0 match lead. Slight collected 15 assists to five Lopes with Gianni leading the way with five kills in the set. A kill from sophomore middle blocker Cameron Thorne gave the Lopes a 6-5 lead and they stay ahead the rest of the set.
Leading 14-10, GCU used a 6-1 run to take control of the set at 20-11. The Lopes scored five of the last six points with seniors Jackson Hickman and Rico Wardlow collecting the final kills.
GCU wrapped up the match with a 25-17 win in the third set. The set was the most competitive featuring 10 ties and three lead changes, but a mid-set run by the Lopes gave them control to finish the match. Tied at 12-12, the Lopes went on a 7-2 run thanks to Thorne's two blocks and a kill in successive points. The GCU sophomore finished the night with four kills, no errors and a team-high five blocks. The Lopes ended the match with a 6-1 run with Hickman collected an ace and a kill in the run.
The Lopes will head to East Coast at the end of the month, starting with a match at Merrimack on Jan. 31.
The Lopes (6-0) were in complete control all night, hitting a season-high .462 for their third consecutive match hitting above .400. They held UCSD (2-5) to less than 20 points in each set, collecting a season-high nine blocks and limiting the Tritons to .078 hitting. On the flip side, GCU recorded just eight attacking errors on 66 attacks.
Senior opposite Camden Gianni did it all collecting 13 kills on .417 hitting to go along with 11 digs and 14 points. Five different Lopes hit over .400 in the match as redshirt junior setter Nicholas Slight continued to pace the GCU offense with 33 assists.
The Lopes started their longest road trip of the season with a 25-17 first-set win. GCU took advantage of seven service errors and six attacking errors from the Tritons in the frame, countering with a .353 hitting clip. Gianni converted his first six attacks and added an ace, his 16th of the season.
The GCU offense hit another level in the 25-13 second set, hitting .600 with just one attacking error to take a 2-0 match lead. Slight collected 15 assists to five Lopes with Gianni leading the way with five kills in the set. A kill from sophomore middle blocker Cameron Thorne gave the Lopes a 6-5 lead and they stay ahead the rest of the set.
Leading 14-10, GCU used a 6-1 run to take control of the set at 20-11. The Lopes scored five of the last six points with seniors Jackson Hickman and Rico Wardlow collecting the final kills.
GCU wrapped up the match with a 25-17 win in the third set. The set was the most competitive featuring 10 ties and three lead changes, but a mid-set run by the Lopes gave them control to finish the match. Tied at 12-12, the Lopes went on a 7-2 run thanks to Thorne's two blocks and a kill in successive points. The GCU sophomore finished the night with four kills, no errors and a team-high five blocks. The Lopes ended the match with a 6-1 run with Hickman collected an ace and a kill in the run.
The Lopes will head to East Coast at the end of the month, starting with a match at Merrimack on Jan. 31.
Team Stats
GCU
UCSD
Kills
38
25
Errors
8
19
Attempts
65
77
Hitting %
.462
.078
Points
54.0
35.5
Assists
36
22
Aces
7
3
Blocks
9
7.5
Game Leaders
Kills
13
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
1
Blocks
0
Kills
7
Aces
1
Blocks
3
Kills
4
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
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/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
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