Blocks record helps nearly force 5 in loss to Pacific

Sunday, September 15

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-4,0-0WAC

Pacific

7-2,0-0WCC

Pacific

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Wesley Kurz

9/15/2024 6:08:00 PM | Volleyball, Paul Coro

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GCU's Parrott leaves to injury early in 2nd set; Lopes record 18 blocks to Tigers' 2

By: Paul Coro

The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team showed more resolve Sunday with how it responded to losing its best player, Tatum Parrott, to injury during the second set's fifth point.

The Lopes won more points in the GCU Classic finale than visiting Pacific. The Lopes matched their Division I-era record for blocks and set their D-I era's record for block differential at home Sunday.

But it could not alleviate the hurt in Parrott or the GCU team for dropping a 3-1 match in which it held set points in two of the lost sets at Global Credit Union Arena.

The Lopes' defense at the net was tremendous with 18 blocks, including a career-high tying 10 from senior middle blocker Trista Strasser a week after she set her career kill high of nine. Pacific (7-2) managed two blocks.

The Lopes (5-4), who went 2-1 in the GCU Classic, fell into a 2-0 match hole with a first-set 24-22 lead flipping into a 26-24 Tigers steal with three Lopes errors and a kill from Abby Miller, one of four Pacific players with double-digit kills.

GCU bounced back with a .571-hitting third set, when the Lopes pulled away with a 7-0 run for a 15-7 lead after three kills and a block from redshirt freshman outside hitter Emma Wegleitner.

Wegleitner had played one match this season but was pressed into duty when Parrott turned her right foot on a block try when it landed on the Pacific hitter's foot that crossed the center line.

"All year long minus one match, we put ourselves in the fight," Lopes head coach Kendra Potts said. "You don't like it when it ends this way. I do feel like we showed some maturity and growth and depth off the bench. When you lose a player like Tatum in the middle of a set, it can be emotional. They handled themselves well and regrouped."

Graduate outside hitter Ashley Lifgren, who returned from injury for a 36-kill weekend, scored three consecutive GCU points to reach a set point that another freshman, middle blocker Aubrey Goodere, dunked for a 25-14 set.

"It's been fun for me to start feeling like myself again for last year," said Lifgren, who had nine kills, seven digs and four blocks Sunday. "We had Emma and MJ (junior opposite Magdalena Juric) step up really big for our team. It just shows our grittiness.

"We could've rolled over in that third set and been back home an hour ago. We stepped up and fought. The outcome isn't what we wanted, but I'm so proud of our team."

The Lopes were on their way to forcing a fifth set when they carried the fourth-set momentum over to a 15-8 lead when Wegleitner drilled a kill from the left pin to the right back corner.

Two GCU timeouts could not quell an 8-0 Pacific run, but the Lopes did bounce back to lead 22-19 when Lifgren hammered a kill into the Pacific libero's torso.

The Tigers tied the set at 23-23, but freshman setter Taylor Kubacak's 26th assist found Goodere rolling for her fifth kill and a 24-23 set point. Pacific closed the match with three consecutive kills, giving it 57 kills to GCU's 37.

"We've got to make sure we can convert some kills out of transition," Potts said. "We know where we need to work. What I appreciate is we're not having to train self-esteem or unity. We're unified. There are some physical things we need to address.

"The losses hurt, but we have to find ways to grow out of them. I think the bounce back of how you come out of a loss is almost more important. We're learning about ourselves. We're going to keep learning and growing."

The Lopes are 5-4, just as last season's NCAA tournament qualifier was at this point when it headed to the same event: the Big West/WAC Challenge. GCU will play UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton next weekend in Riverside, California, before WAC play starts Sept. 26 against UT Arlington (9-0).