Lopes take 1st WAC win of season at Seattle U

Saturday, September 28

Seattle, Wash.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-5,1-1WAC

Seattle U

2-9,0-1WAC

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

9/28/2024 3:41:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

GCU's Kubacak dazzles with 44 assists, 17 digs, 7 kills

By: Nathan Peters

SEATTLE — The Grand Canyon women's volleyball team earned its first WAC win of the Kendra Potts coaching era with a 27-29, 26-24, 25-13, 25-16 victory at Seattle U on Saturday.

The Lopes (8-5) won their 10th consecutive match in the head-to-head series with the Redhawks, dating back to 2019.

The match began with GCU trailing early before a joust kill followed by a dump kill from freshman setter Taylor Kubacak reduced the Seattle lead to 20-16. From that moment, the Lopes found some life, going on a 5-1 run and eventually fighting off five set points before Seattle U clinched the opener 29-27.

GCU graduate outside hitter Ashley Lifgren had four kills through the first set. The Peoria, Arizona, native closed the match with 10 kills and 13 digs for her first double-double of the season.

The Lopes began the second set trailing 15-9 before a 5-0 run brought the set within reach.

Outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez's eight kills of the match put GCU on top 22-21, forcing a Seattle timeout. The Lopes junior closed the match with a career-high 16 kills on .325 hitting.

Kubacak closed the second set out with a block at the net to tie the match at one set apiece. The Kerrville, Texas, native had four block assists on the day and clinched a double-double early in the third set on the way to 44 assists, one off her season high, and 17 digs, a season high.

In the third set, a GCU run of a Ramirez kill, Alissa Uhlenhop kill and Emma Wegleitner block sent an early message and forced a quick Redhawks timeout. Uhlenhop, a senior middle blocker, played an important role notching six kills on .545 hitting along with five blocks.

From that timeout, GCU continued the momentum with an 8-2 run to lead 15-6. Senior middle blocker Trista Strasser had a kill and assisted block during that run. The Kyle, Texas, native finished the day with seven kills on zero attack errors and continued the dominant defensive presence, adding seven blocks to her tally that ranked 13th nationally entering the weekend.

Wegleitner scored three of the final four set points on kills to clinch the third set 25-13 and give GCU a 2-1 match lead. The sophomore outside hitter tied her career high with eight kills.

The fourth set capped off the team effort. Six of GCU's 14 team blocks came in the final set.

The exclamation mark was provided by Kubacak, who added back-to-back service aces at 17-14 and added a third ace as the Lopes scored seven consecutive points for a 23-14 lead. GCU won the set and clinched the match 25-16 on a Ramirez kill.

The Lopes will have a long week to prepare to play at Utah Valley on Oct. 5.