Huge crowd turns out for GCU loss at No. 8 ASU

Saturday, September 20

Tempe, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-3,0-0Mountain West

Arizona State

8-2,0-0Big 12

Grand Canyon

Arizona St.

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

9/20/2025 8:59:00 PM | Volleyball, Paul Coro

Box Score Photo Gallery

Havocs travel crosstown to be among 4,753 volleyball fans

By: Paul Coro

TEMPE, Ariz. – For the second consecutive Saturday, Grand Canyon volleyball played on the road against a top-10 team with a huge crowd.

A week after playing at Nebraska, Grand Canyon volleyball continued to challenge itself with a match at No. 8 Arizona State that provided results to be seen later beyond the Sun Devils' sweep.

Phoenix, AZ Sept. 20, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match three sets to zero against ASU during the Sun Devil Classic at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

Phoenix, AZ Sept. 20, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match three sets to zero against ASU during the Sun Devil Classic at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

The Havocs took over the west side of Desert Financial Arena, contributing to a positive Arizona volleyball scene of 4,753 fans, the fourth-largest crowd at ASU since 2013 and largest since 2023.

The Lopes could not produce the same noise Saturday that they created during most of an 8-3 nonconference season. Just as it had swept Pepperdine on Friday, ASU swept GCU 25-16, 25-19, 25-14, on Saturday to improve to 8-2 with losses only to top-10 teams Texas and Pitt.

"It was not necessarily how we wanted to compete," Lopes head coach Kendra Potts said. "However, I want to zoom out and focus on the entire body of work for preseason and understand that, if we have these moments, it doesn't have to be a loss if we got back to work on Monday and learn and grown from it."

Coming off crosstown bus trips for wins against Pepperdine on Friday and Milwaukee on Saturday, GCU could not apply the same pressure on ASU despite an early push.

The Lopes pulled within a point for the fifth time in the first set at 12-11 on one of GCU senior outside hitter Anaelena Ramiez's six kills. But on its way to a season-high 10 aces, ASU recorded two aces in a 5-0 run that widened its lead.

With .500 hitting, the Sun Devils closed out the 25-16 first set with a 5-0 run on four kills and a block.

Phoenix, AZ Sept. 20, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match three sets to zero against ASU during the Sun Devil Classic at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. David Kadlubowski/GCU

Phoenix, AZ Sept. 20, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match three sets to zero against ASU during the Sun Devil Classic at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. David Kadlubowski/GCU

The Lopes had their only lead at 2-1 in the second set, but the Sun Devils continued to go on runs that built a 20-11 lead. GCU rallied late with a block and a kill from freshman middle blocker Aubrey Bellus helping tighten the ASU lead to 23-19 before the Sun Devils closed the set.

Bellus, a 6-foot-2 Mesa Mountain View High School graduate, followed up her strong Friday performance with her first collegiate start Saturday. She finished with five kills, two blocks and GCU's only ace.

"She earned that," Potts said of Bellus. "Four weeks of working with her and seeing what she does training in the gym every single day, we wanted her to be able to see a higher level of volleyball. She did a good job playing one of the quickest teams in the country. She is bringing us some offense that we haven't been able to see on a consistent basis."

Playing their third match in three days, the Lopes went 13 players deep Saturday with junior outside hitter Sophia Osterdahl entering in the third set and recording GCU's only three kills down the stretch of ASU's 25-14 win.

"I would love to be able to string it together and do more scrambling with calmness to it," Potts said. "Our scramble can turn into a little bit of frantic, like we're surprised we're keeping the ball in play.

"I did like our scrappiness, but I think we still can take some notes and learn from Arizona State. They outscrapped us and that's hard to say out loud. Our girls understood that, and we're going to learn from it."

Phoenix, AZ Sept. 20, 2025 : The Lopes drop their match three sets to zero against ASU during the Sun Devil Classic at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe.

GCU and ASU have played for two consecutive seasons after the Valley programs had not faced each other since 1990. The Saturday matchup drew 4,753 fans, more than 2,000 higher than the Sun Devils' previous average attendance.

"My biggest opening thought is 'How about that crowd?'," ASU head coach JJ Van Niel said. "That was awesome."

It was also 1,914 more fans than last year's Lopes-Sun Devils match drew in Tempe.

"The crowd was amazing," Potts said. "There were so many young volleyball players who were here in the stands to enjoy college volleyball. It's something that we need to continue doing. I'm very grateful that JJ and I can align with that school of thought because it grows the game."

The Lopes turn their attention to their debut Mountain West campaign, which starts with a home set of matches against Boise State at 6 p.m. Thursday and Utah State at 1 p.m. Saturday in Global Credit Union Arena.

"I'm really proud of how we handled the preseason schedule with the caliber of teams we played and places that we got to go," Potts said. "This sets us up for the gritty schedule of the Mountain West day in and day out.

"We understand that we're viewed as No. 8 in the conference preseason poll, and so if that doesn't put a chip on our shoulder, I'm not sure what will. We know we've got a lot to prove."