Sweep sends Lopes, to WAC semifinal

Thursday, November 21

Arlington, Texas

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

19-10,12-5WAC

(7) Seattle U

8-19,6-11WAC

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Nathan Peters

11/21/2024 4:40:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

GCU's Nelson surpasses 2,000 career digs in defensive win vs. Seattle U

By: Nathan Peters

ARLINGTON, Texas — Grand Canyon played fresh through the entirety of a WAC Tournament quarterfinal sweep against Seattle U on Thursday.

The second-seeded Lopes (19-10) hit .384, its second highest clip of the season, for 50 kills and added 59 digs, their highest three-set total since 2022. Five Lopes players each delivered at least seven kills.

"To hit .384 as a team for the match is significant, and being able to maintain that cleanliness through the match says a lot about the focus," GCU head coach Kendra Potts said.

Lopes senior middle blocker Trista Strasser brought energy early to start the three-day tournament at UT Arlington. The Kyle, Texas native claimed a block in the seventh point of action to tie the first set at 3-3.

GCU found its rhythm at 16-16 when the Lopes went on a 6-2 run with a balanced attack of Strasser, outside hitters Ashley Lifgren and Tatum Parrott, junior opposite Anaelena Ramirez and freshman middle blocker Aubrey Goodere.

"It was cool to see the offensive balance," Potts said. "To be able to distribute to everybody both on the right side, the middle and the outside was really big. To have even distribution and get everybody going, that's a huge way to start the tournament."

The breathing room created from the run helped the Lopes finish the set. A massive block from junior opposite Magdalena Juric clinched the 25-21 set.

Strasser smashed four kills on .600 hitting in the first set and closed with eight kills, six digs, two total blocks and a service ace. The six digs from the starting middle tied her career high.

GCU led the second set 19-16 before closing it on a 6-1 run to take the 2-0 match lead.

Parrott tallied two of the run's six points. The Phoenix junior finished the match with a double-double of 13 kills and 11 digs, which matches her season high for digs in a three-set match.

The defense was the unsung hero of the match, with graduate setter Ava Mason tying her three-set career high of 13 digs to go with 16 assists.

Graduate libero Mykenna Nelson absorbed 14 digs with a reception percentage of .917. Nelson surpassed 2,000 career digs during her five-year career's postseason match.

The cherry on top for Nelson was a dig that doubled as a kill, ricocheting deep into a Seattle U corner that went uncovered.

"I love seeing three girls in double-digit digs but also having other people contribute from the off-blocker defensive perspective," Potts said. "We know we've got a good offense, but we can't show the offense that we have if we're not playing defense behind that block."

The third set remained tight, but when the Lopes dished the ball to Parrott and Lifgren, good things happened.

"We've been talking about how everything we did in the pre, and regular season prepared us for the postseason, regardless of if that is losses that you learn from or wins that you take in and grow from," Potts said. "All the things happen for a reason, to get us prepared for the postseason. I'm proud of how the girls just came out and did play fresh and did play new, and they did play like they have learned through the season."

One of Lifgren's eight kills boosted GCU's lead to 19-16. Parrott proceeded to swing for four kills in the following seven points. From there, Lopes freshman setter Taylor Kubacak finished the job with back-to-back service aces to seal the match with a 25-19 final set.

Kubacak had 18 assists and three of the Lopes' six aces.

GCU will next face thid-seeded Utah Valley on Friday at 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) in the first semifinal match. The Wolverines defeated Southern Utah in Thursday's first quarterfinal 25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17. The Lopes split the season series with Utah Valley. The winner advances to Saturday's championship match at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time).

"We know what we're up against in their two high-level outsides that we're going to have to defend," Potts said. "I want us to be proud and reset. I love the postseason vibe that we have, but now the focus is on Utah Valley."