GCU closes Invitational with 2 more ranked wins

Saturday, March 22

Austin, Texas

6:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Georgia State

Photo by: Jack Gilday

3/22/2025 12:21:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

Both matches came down to final flight, give Lopes 3-1 weekend

By: Nathan Peters

AUSTIN, Texas – The No. 13 Grand Canyon beach volleyball team battled through two tight matches on Saturday, securing a pair of 3-2 victories over No. 18 Georgia State and No. 20 FIU.

GCU (14-6) opened the second day of the East Meets West Invitational with a hard-fought win against Georgia State, rallying after dropping the 2s pair. Senior Madi Bogle and sophomore Regan Holmer delivered in three sets, closing out a 21-12, 16-21, 15-8. Becca and Jessica Drake, a sophomore and a junior, then got the Lopes a 21-16, 21-18 victory in Flight 3, followed by sophomore Karynn Garrow and senior Sophia Hladyniuk securing the Flight 4 win in a 21-18, 21-17 match.

In the afternoon match against No. 20 FIU, GCU once again showed resilience after falling behind early. The Panthers took the top flight before the Lopes responded. Bogle and Holmer came through with a 21-16, 21-18 result in Flight 5. The Drake duo claimed a 21-15, 21-15 win in Flight 3, and Garrow and Hladyniuk clinched the match with a 21-13, 21-18 victory in Flight 4.

After clinching its fifth ranked win of the season in Austin, Texas, GCU will return home to co-host a tournament with Arizona State on Friday and Saturday. The weekend will include Senior Day and the second night match at GCU this year.

GCU 3, Georgia State 2

Aree Keller/Ayla Johnson (GSU) def. Adrianna Ferro/Katie Keefe (GCU) 13-21, 21-15, 15-11
Destiny White/Savannah Ebarb (GSU) def. Rhea Kohl/Ines Piret (GCU) 21-15, 21-17
Becca Drake/Jessica Drake (GCU) def. Danica Singleton/Michaela Jefferson (GSU) 21-16, 21-18
Karynn Garrow/Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Aliisa Vuorinen/Noalani Nuez (GSU) 21-18, 21-17
Madison Bogle/Regan Holmer (GCU) def. Kate Phelan/Kealy Dirner (GSU) 21-12, 16-21, 15-8

Order of finish: 2, 4, 3,1, 5

GCU 3, FIU 2

Sophie Vogel/Ella Gray (FIU) def. Adrianna Ferro/Katie Keefe (GCU) 21-16, 21-13
Katarina Drozd/Brianna Luoma (FIU) def. Ines Piret/Rhea Kohl (GCU) 21-15, 21-14
Becca Drake/Jessica Drake (GCU) def. Julia Panko/Ola Chudzik (FIU) 21-15, 21-15
Karynn Garrow/Sophia Hladyniuk (GCU) def. Annika Castellanos/Hailey Heflin (FIU) 21-13, 21-18
Madison Bogle/Regan Holmer (GCU) def. Zoe Cahill/Kendra Brown (FIU) 21-16, 21-18