Program-record 14th sweep keeps perfect home mark

Thursday, April 11

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

21-4,9-2MPSF

Pepperdine

17-9,5-6MPSF

Pepperdine

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

4/11/2024 8:45:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

No. 3 GCU never trails, faces No. 9 Pepperdine again Friday for Senior Night

No. 3 Grand Canyon left nothing to doubt in recording a program-best 14th sweep victory Thursday night, when it never trailed in a 25-29, 25-16, 25-17 victory against No. 9 Pepperdine at Global Credit Union Arena.

The Lopes stayed within a game of first-place UCLA in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation standings and moved within a Friday night home finale of having its first perfect home season. GCU (21-4, 9-2 MPSF) and Pepperdine (17-9, 5-6) will play again at 6 p.m. Friday for Senior Night, when the Lopes can match last season's record for wins in a season.

"I'm very happy with how consistent we played," GCU head coach Matt Werle said. "We really emphasize the pressure from the service line and hitting our targets, and the guys did that really well. I do think that Pepperdine is going to be a lot better tomorrow (Friday night) and our guys will have to match their energy. I'm excited to see these seniors off, and hopefully we do it in a very professional business fashion."

The Lopes held the Waves to .118 hitting, the fourth-lowest GCU opponent percentage this season and lowest in two months.

GCU senior outside hitter Camden Gianni passed former teammate Christian Janke for second place on the program's career kills leader list. Gianni led the Lopes with 11 kills Thursday night, giving him 1,301 for his career. Ben Ponnet (2010-14) holds the GCU record at 1,509.

The sweep began with a tightly contest start, when neither team scored more than two consecutive points as GCU grinded out a 12-10 edge. At that point, the Lopes went on a 7-1 run with senior outside hitter Jackson Hickman recording four of his six first-set kills in the run.

The Lopes were more dominant in the second set, when they hit .600 and shot out to a 14-5 lead. The service game was a strong part of that with aces from senior middle blocker Rico Wardlow and Hickman. After the 14-5 jump start, Wardlow led the Lopes to the 25-16 finish and a 2-0 match lead with four kills in GCU's final 11 points.

GCU again pounced on Pepperdine in the third set with an 8-4 lead, capitalizing on six Waves errors. The Lopes stretched that to 19-11 with junior setter Nicholas Slight distributing well on his 30-assist, eight-dig, three-block night.
The Lopes led by as many as 10 before closing out the 25-17 set and match on a Slight-to-Gianni connection.