Lopes split Saturday matches, sweep Georgia State

Saturday, March 21

Baton Rouge, La.

8:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Texas

Photo by: Nathan Peters

3/21/2026 4:11:00 PM | Beach Volleyball

After dropping close match to No. 4 Texas, GCU ends Death volley Invitational on high note

By: Nathan Peters

BATON ROUGE, La. — Grand Canyon split its Saturday matches, falling 3-2 to No. 4 Texas before responding with a 5-0 sweep of Georgia State at the Death Valley Invitational.

In the morning match, the Lopes battled with Texas in a dual that was tightly contested.

The Longhorns secured the early advantage with straight-set wins on Courts 4 and 5 for a 2-0 lead and clinched the match on Court 2, where GCU senior Katie Keefe and junior Sarah Edler fell in hard-fought straight sets.

GCU answered with two pair victories. On Court 1, juniors Karynn Garrow and Becca Drake earned a 21-13, 21-18 win over Texas' top pair.

The final match to finish came on Court 3, where Lopes junior Rhea Kohl and sophomore Mae Manthe closed the dual with a 21-15, 19-21, 15-9 victory, but it was not enough to overcome the early deficit.

The Lopes rebounded emphatically against Georgia State, sweeping a 5-0 victory.

GCU struck first on Court 5, where senior Jessica Drake and freshman Jordyn Decker won in straight sets to set the tone. The lead grew to 2-0 after a Court 4 comeback by sophomore Youna Coens and junior Isabelle Tucker (18-21, 21-15, 15-10).

Kohl and Manthe extended the advantage with a straight-set win on Court 3, before Keefe and Edler secured the clinching point on Court 2 with a 23-21, 21-19 victory.

Garrow and Drake capped the sweep on Court 1 with a 21-16, 21-16 win to complete the dominant outing.

Manthe and Kohl had a phenomenal weekend, going 4-0 against elite competition in Court 3 matches.

The Lopes will have a bye week before the Sparky Invitational hosted by Arizona State on April 3-4.