Lopes close 1st weekend with 2 wins at NJIT

Saturday, January 11

Newark, N.J.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0,0-0MPSF

NJIT

0-2,0-0EIVA

Grand Canyon

NJIT

Photo by: Slate Mitchell

1/11/2025 9:42:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

Moser's offense, team blocking lead 2nd match's strong effort

By: Nathan Peters

NEWARK, N.J. – The No. 9 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team closed its weekend trip with another 3-1 win over NJIT on Saturday.

The Lopes' success was largely thanks to 18 team blocks, marking a four-set feat that the program has not seen since the 2013 season.

"We started putting some good service pressure on and hitting the targets that we wanted to hit, and it just really allowed our block to be better formed pin-to-pin laterally," Lopes head coach Matt Werle said. "We had some nice triple blocks that were formed too."

Junior outside hitter Cole Ottmar led the way with eight blocks in his second match wearing the GCU purple.

"Ultimately, I feel like we are probably a lot more physical than teams had anticipated, and we have some athletes and some big boys out there," Werle said. "Definitely have to give (assistant) coach Jon Girten some credit with his blocking schemes and everything that he's doing. He's doing really good things for us."

Not only was it the debut for many Lopes players, but the 2-0 weekend also represented Girten's first weekend with GCU.

Saturday's first set was ignited by freshman middle blocker Braedon Marquardt, who made his collegiate debut. The Anaheim Hills native began the match with a massive block and followed it with a service ace. Marquardt finished the match with seven blocks.

NJIT took the first set 25-20, but GCU opened the second set on a 5-0 run, seemingly proving that the match had a long way to go.

Graduate outside hitter Karter Rogers dug a ball late in the set that went across the net untouched and landed a momentous point for the Lopes, leading to an eventual Rogers kill to close the set 25-19.

The Denver native finished the match with 11 kills on a .304 hitting percentage.

The leader offensively for the Lopes was transfer Trent Moser, who finished the night with a match-high19 kills on a .586 hitting clip.

"Trent producing what he's produced for us as a non-true opposite is pretty special," Werle said. "He is an outsider hitter that filled a role tonight, and he finds ways to score, which is really impressive. Ultimately, what he does as a leader on our court, he is providing such phenomenal leadership for us and has been the glue that holds us together."

Middle blocker Cole Duncanson dished three aces in a row to give GCU a third set lead of 12-6.

Junior setter Jaxon Herr had another strong start, tying his career high with a match-best 39 assists. Herr also tallied three kills, three blocks and three digs.

The native of Anthem, Arizona, found Marquardt to close the third set 25-17.

The fourth set was tight when GCU led 20-19, but the Lopes closed the match on a 5-0 run with kills from Moser and Rogers.

GCU will next George Mason in the home opener at 6 p.m. Friday in Global Credit Union Arena and at 4 p.m. Saturday in Antelope Gymnasium.

"We knew this was going to be a really good challenge," Werle said. "NJIT is an experienced team with some good fire, and I was curious to see how our new guys were going to respond to it and how our young guys were going to respond to a little chirpiness through the net. A long road trip coming home with two wins is something that we had strived for, and I am impressed with how we handled the whole weekend."