Lopes split 1st matches in Hawai'i

Saturday, April 13

Honolulu, Hawaii

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Hawaii

Photo by: Nathan Peters

4/13/2024 10:33:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

GCU set for exhilarating final day with night match vs. host

By: Nathan Peters

HONOLULU, Hawaii – The No.19 Grand Canyon beach volleyball team split the first days' matches, falling in a nailbiter against No.12 Hawai'i before sweeping Chaminade on Saturday. GCU will play Portland on Sunday morning before facing off against Hawai'i in a night match.

The highlight of the day came when the No. 4 pair of junior Jessica Drake and graduate Mackenzie Harris won their first match against Hawai'i.

The duo won the first set 21-18 but lost the second set to force a match-deciding set. Drake and Harris trailed 7-2 in the third set before three straight serves from Harris made things interesting. After the Rainbow Warriors seemed to regroup, the Lopes duo stayed relentless and rallied to win their 13th straight match.

In the second match of the day against Chaminade, the GCU pair won in dominant fashion, 21-8, 21-2, for its 14th straight victory.

The Lopes freshman pair of Karynn Garrow and Adriana Serrano Ferro was victorious in the No. 3 flight, 22-20, 14-21, 15-13. They followed it up with a 21-15, 21-11 win in the second match.

The No. 5 pair of junior Madi Bogle and senior Noelle Weintraub fell in a tight match, where they won the first set and lost two close sets in the second and third for a final match score of 18-21, 21-19, 15-8.

Despite needing one more team point for the dual-match win, the Lopes' top two pairs could not escape extremely close matches to result i a 3-2 loss for the Lopes. Following that match, the afternoon showing against Chaminad was simply dominant with the Lopes' straight-set wins in a 5-0 victory.

Sunday will include a morning match against Portland before a rematch wtih Hawai'i, which still stage Senior Night match with the match broadcast on ESPN+ here.

Hawai'i 3, GCU 2

Jaime Santer/Alana Embry (UH) def. Krista Rowan/Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) 21-17, 21-18
Pani Napoleon/Kaylee Glagau (UH) def. Sarah Dickson/Katie Keefe (GCU) 21-18, 21-17
Karynn Garrow/Adriana Serrano Ferro (GCU) def. Riley Wagoner/Sydney Amiatu (UH) 22-20, 14-21, 15-13
Jessica Drake/Mackenzie Harris (GCU) def. Anna Maidment/Sydney Miller (UH) 21-18, 17-21, 18-16
Sarah Burton/Julia Thelle (UH) def. Noelle Weintraub/Madi Bogle (GCU) 18-21, 21-19, 15-8

GCU 5, Chaminade 0

Krista Rowan/Sophie Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Mahala Ka'apuni/Hula Crisostomo (CHA) 21-12, 21-16
Katie Keefe/Sarah Dickson (GCU) def. Kanoelehua Misipeka/Malena Mihalik (CHA) 21-8, 21-11
Karynn Garrow/A. Serrano Ferro (GCU) def. Sophie Schilling/Elli Tsukano (CHA) 21-15, 21-13
Jessica Drake/Mackenzie Harris (GCU) def. Leilani Ama/Grace Talpash (CHA) 21-8, 21-2
Elly Collins/Becca Drake (GCU) def. DeLaney Poling/Lizanyela Lopez (CHA) 21-8, 21-7