Regular season begins with sweep

Thursday, January 4

Santa Barbara, Calif.

5:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-0,0-0MPSF

CSUN

0-1,0-0Big West

Grand Canyon

CSUN

Photo by: Jeff Liang

1/4/2024 7:36:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

No. 7 GCU begins campaign with 3-0 win vs. No. 17 CSUn

By: Jerob Moon

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The No. 7 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team kicked off the 2024 season with a 3-0 sweep over No. 17 CSUN in the first match of the Asics Invitational.

The Lopes used a balanced offensive attack in the season opener with four players recording at least five kills, led by seniors Jackson Hickman and Camden Gianni each recording nine kills. Defensively, GCU limited CSUN to just .197 hitting, thanks in part to five blocks and 18 digs.

Five GCU starters from its 2023 NCAA tournament lineup on Thursday night and started the season with a 25-22 win. Sophomore middle blocker Cameron Thorne, who earned All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation freshman team honors a year ago, started off the match with two straight kills as GCU went on to lead wire to wire. The first ace of the season was recorded by junior Jack Palmer, who earned his first start and helped put GCU up 8-5.

The rest of the set was back and forth until the very end with a CSUN 4-1 run tying the match at 22-22. The Lopes responded with three straight points to close out the set with a kill by senior middle blocker Rico Wardlow and a pair of Matador errors.

A pair of GCU runs in the middle of the second set extended its lead on the way to a 25-20 win. The Lopes had 11 kills in the frame on .368 hitting and were led by Hickman's five error-less kills. Out of a timeout when trailing 13-10, GCU rattled off an 8-1 run to take an 18-14 lead. The Lopes had kills from Gianni and a block from Wardlow, and Palmer forced six CSUN errors. Later in the frame, GCU led 20-18 and closed out the set with a 6-2 run capped by a Thorne kill.

The third and final set was the most competitive with 11 ties, seven lead changes and extra points in a 27-25 GCU win. Neither team dazzled offensively. GCU recorded a match-low .105 hitting but used timely runs to close out the win. Trailing 12-8, the Lopes went on an 8-2 run to lead 15-14. A Gianni kill, Hickman ace, and Palmer/Wardlow block highlighted the run.

With GCU trailing 22-20, Gianni stepped up with a kill, ace and block assist (with Throne)for in consecutive points to put GCU up by one. CSUN held match point at 25-24, but a service error forced extra points Palmer collected his third kill to set up match points, on which the Matadors committed an attacking error to close out the match.

Lopes junior setter Nicholas Slight collected 25 assists in the win while junior libero Cooper Herndon finished with an .826 reception percentage in his first GCU start. He shared defensive duties with freshman Matthew Thornton.

The Lopes will be back in action Friday as the Asics Invitational with a match against UC San Diego at 3 p.m.