Lopes push matches to 3rd sets, fall short twice

Saturday, February 21

Phoenix, Ariz.

11:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Arizona State

Photo by: Brayden Stenner

2/21/2026 7:22:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

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GCU drops Saturday matches, return to action in Tucson

By: Nathan Peters

The No. 13 Grand Canyon beach volleyball squad closed the opening weekend with tightly contested matches at GCU Beach Volleyball Stadium, where it lost 5-0 in a morning dual against No. 11 Arizona State before closing the day with a 3-2 loss to Arizona.

Against Arizona State, the No. 2 flight finished first, followed by the No. 4 flight, which went the distance as Jessica Drake and Grace Goudy pushed the match to three sets before ASU won 23-21, 17-21, 15-12.

The Sun Devils clinched at the No. 5 flight. With the dual decided, play continued on the other two courts with Rhea Kohl and Mae Manthe forcing a third set on the No. 3 flight before ASU won 21-19, 13-21, 15-11.

GCU closed the day with a tightly contested 3-2 home loss to Arizona.

The Lopes earned their first point at the No. 2 flight, where Karynn Garrow and Becca Drake rallied for a 18-21, 21-14, 15-12 victory.

Arizona answered with three-set wins at Nos. 4 and 5 before turning to the remaining courts with the dual undecided.

The Wildcats clinched the dual at the No. 1 flight with a score of 21-19 19-21 15-13.

Despite Arizona clinching, Kohl and Manthe won their match at the No. 3 flight, 21-12, 16-21, 15-8.

GCU will return to action next week in Tucson, where they will play UTEP and Oregon on Friday and Georgia State and UTEP next Saturday.