Final regular-season action ends in thrilling split

Saturday, April 20

Stanford, Calif.

9 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Washington

Photo by: Nathan Peters

4/20/2024 4:41:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

GCU shifts focus to conference tournament in Alabama

By: Nathan Peters

STANFORD, Calif. – The No. 17 Grand Canyon beach volleyball team split the second day's matches at the Stanford Invitational, falling in a nailbiter against No.12 Washington before beating UC Davis in a 3-2 battle Saturday.

Against Washington, the Lopes and Huskies were tied 1-1 with a GCU straight-set win from Mackenzie Harris and Jessica Drake (30-28, 21-16). Despite a three-set loss at the second and fifth flights, GCU tied the dual again at 2-2 with the No. 3 pair of freshman Karryn Garrow and Adriana Serrano Ferro prevailing 23-21, 21-15.

The match came down to a fight at Court 1, where GCU lost 22-20, 21-16.

In the second match of the day against UC Davis, the Lopes got out to a winning start again from Harris and Drake. UC Davis evened the match with a second-flight win.

The Aggies won the third flight before the Lopes responded with a 23-21, 18-21, 15-7 victory from Madi Bogle and Regan Holmer on Court 5.

For the second time in the day, the match came down to the No. 1 pair. This time, the Lopes' Krista Rowan and Sophia Hladyniuk came out on top with a three-set thriller. The duo lost the first set 21-18 before winning 21-18 and 15-5 to clinch the match.

With the regular season concluding, the Lopes will head to Huntsville, Alabama, for the conference tournament, which will start Friday with an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament settled next Saturday.

UW 3, GCU 2

Piper Monk-Heidrich and Magdelena Rabitsch (UW) def. Krista Rowan and Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) 22-20 21-16
Zoey Henson and Lauren Wilcock (UW) def. Katie Keefe and Sarah Dickson (GCU) 21-18 18-21 17-15
Karynn Garrow and Adriana Serrano Ferro (GCU) def. Kierstyn Barton and Kendall Mather (UW) 23-21 21-15
Jessica Drake and Mackenzie Harris (GCU) def. Scarlett Dahl and Josie Ulrich (UW) 30-28 21-16
Brooke Balue and Sarah Wilcock (UW) def. Hailey Hutchings and Elly Collins (GCU) 21-14 21-17

GCU 3, UCD 2

Krista Rowan and Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Colleen McGuire and Kylie Miller (UCD) 18-21 21-18 15-5
Tabitha Mitchell and Kimi Waller (UCD) def. Katie Keefe and Sarah Dickson (GCU) 21-16 21-18
Morgan Coolbaugh and Lindsay Heller (UCD) def. Karynn Garrow and Adriana Serrano Ferro (GCU) 21-19 21-19
Jessica Drake and Mackenzie Harris (GCU) def. Alicia Letvin and Mia Olen (UCD) 21-17 21-12
Madi Bogle and Regan Holmer (GCU) def. Anna Braun and Kate O'Steen (UCD) 23-21 18-21 15-7