GCU celebrates banner with sweep in home opener

Friday, January 17

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0,0-0MPSF

George Mason

0-2,0-0EIVA

George Mason

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Nate Cochran

1/17/2025 8:28:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

No. 9 Lopes take down No.18 George Mason in 1st of 2 matches

By: Nathan Peters

The No. 9 Grand Canyon men's volleyball team opened the 2025 home slate with a sweep of No. 18 George Mason on Friday night at Global Credit Union Arena.

The Lopes' offense was lethal, setting the tone early with 25 kills on .590 hitting through the first two sets. GCU (3-0) closed the three-set match on a hitting clip of .465, its highest GCU since playing at Harvard in February of last season.

The driving force was junior Trent Moser, the BYU transfer who started at opposite for the Lopes with 10 kills on his first 10 attempts.

"Trent finds a way to score, so we aren't surprised that he was able to manipulate the block a little bit and take advantage of it," GCU head coach Matt Werle said. "We know what we are going to get out of him day in and day out."

The native of Gilbert, Arizona, finished with a match-high 13 kills.

The first set opened tightly before GCU junior outside hitter Cole Ottmar destroyed a free ball that sparked a 6-2 run.

The Lopes went on to win the set 25-18 off another Ottmar kill. The transfer had 10 kills, five digs and two aces.

GCU junior setter Jaxon Herr dished 28 assists despite sharing the floor late in the match with freshman Kyle Zediker.

Zediker assisted on two of the three points that closed the Lopes' 25-15 win in the second set, when he set kills for graduate outside Karter Rogers and Ottmar.

Four GCU freshmen played in the home-opening win, which was preceded by the Lopes raising banners for last season's historic accomplishments.

"Kyle came in and had a couple of good opportunities, and Connor had a couple of nice swings," Werle said. "It's nice to be able to get them an opportunity to get comfortable on the court because we know at some point they're going to be out there for us, so just making sure that any chance we have to get them some experience is really important."

Freshman outside hitter Connor Oldani had two kills in his collegiate debut.

Late in the third set, George Mason took advantage of the Lopes losing focus for an 8-3 run that tied the match at 24-24.

After a long point, Ottmar finished the night with one last kill off a pass from Moser to sweep the home opener with a 26-24 win in the third set.

The Lopes will play George Mason again Saturday at 4 p.m. in Antelope Gymnasium.