Lopes find reverse sweep in season's home finale

Saturday, November 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

16-9,8-6Mountain West

UNLV

12-12,6-8Mountain West

UNLV

Grand Canyon

goodere and team after dramtic 5-set win

Photo by: Nate Cochran

11/8/2025 5:18:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Ramirez closes GCU arena career in thrilling, 20-kill fashion

By: Nathan Peters

Grand Canyon concluded its home schedule with a dramatic comeback victory on Saturday, rallying from two sets down to defeat UNLV 3–2 (19–25, 18–25, 25–19, 29–27, 15–12) at Global Credit Union Arena.

The Lopes' reverse sweep served as a fitting finale and gave GCU (16–9, 8–6 Mountain West) a crucial head-to-head tiebreaker over UNLV (12–12, 6–8) in the conference standings. GCU is three-way tie for fourth place in the MW with Boise State and San Diego State with four regular-season matches reamining.

Senior outside hitter Anaelena Ramirez led the Lopes with 20 kills, 10 digs, and five blocks in her final home appearance of a four-year GCU career.

"Ana finished her career here at home with this type of win, and I feel like it parallels the story of her career — a reverse sweep," Lopes head coach Kendra Potts said. "She went through position changes, coaching transitions and challenges, but she kept working and growing. It's just so fitting that her last match here ends this way. Her story is one I'll share with a lot of players down the line."

After dropping the first two sets, the Lopes clawed back in the third set behind senior middle blocker Hayden Goodman's momentum-shifting play.

"I think Hayden allowed AG (sophomore middle blocker Aubrey Goodere) to reset, but also slowed things down on UNLV's side," Potts said. "She made a huge splash play to create some momentum, and that just got the team going."

Goodman tallied two blocks, including a one-handed solo block that shifted the match. Goodere regrouped to record 10 kills on .259 hitting with two blocks.

The fourth set proved pivotal as GCU overcame a 20–13 deficit to stun the Rebels 29–27.

"We were playing unlike ourselves — just simple miscommunications and serve-receive breakdowns," Potts said. "I told them to let the past be in the past and focus on the next point. Our serve was getting UNLV out of system, and I reminded them they were doing good things even if the point didn't end their way. The crowd was huge for us, especially with some of those challenges — shout-out to our seventh man at GCU — and the girls just kept believing and stayed physical."

Defensively, Lopes junior libero Bella Anderson anchored the back row with 19 digs, while GCU sophomore setter Taylor Kubacak added 19 assists, 17 digs and five service aces.

"Bella has just established herself as a calming source on the court," Potts said. "She's reliable, and her bounce-back after mistakes is healthy. It inspires others to respond the same way. There are so many things liberos do that don't show up on the box score. And Taylor's another one like that. She may not always have splashy numbers, but she's steady and dependable every day."

GCU freshman middle blocker Aubrey Bellus contributed 10 kills on .391 hitting with five blocks, while setter/opposite Bella Nunez totaled six kills, 29 assists, 13 digs and two blocks.

"With Bellus, we're learning that we need to create ways to find her offensively, even in uncomfortable situations, Potts said. "She builds momentum whenever she's involved in every play."

In the decisive fifth set, GCU again showed its resilience, rallying from an 11–9 deficit to close on a 6–1 run and take the match 15–12 on a Bellus kill off Nunez's assists. The Lopes hit .438 in the final frame.

The victory strengthened the Lopes' Mountain West Championship outlook, aided by San Diego State's loss at New Mexico earlier Saturday. The Lopes take their tied fourth-place status to matches at Air Force and at Nevada next week