California Baptist University
Grand Canyon
BLOCK PARTY
1/22/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. ? Adam Church posted a career-high eight blocks to lead California Baptist University to a 3-1 (30-23, 27-30, 30-21, 31-29) win over Grand Canyon.
The Lancers (3-3) also recorded a season-high with 16.5 blocks.
While the CBU offense was up and down all night, it was the consistency at the net that spurred the win. Marcus Vinicius was right behind Church with a career-high six blocks. Blair Penner also tied a season-high with four blocks to go with his career-high 12 digs.
Levi Cabral led the charge on the offensive side with a match-high 25 kills and hit .346. Adiel Tiedjop was the only other Lancer notch double figure kills with 12. Penner also recorded match-highs with 55 assists and five aces.
The Lancers were all over the board in hitting percentage, hitting over .400 in the first and third set, but under .200 in the second and fourth. CBU hit .287 (58-23-122) as a team while holding Grand Canyon to a .160 hitting percentage. The Lancers also out dug (50-38) and out blocked (16.5-3) the Lopes.
“We still have a lot of improving to do,” said CBU head coach Ryan McGuyre. “We didn't maintain our intensity and that has been showing in practice as well. Our guys are trying to find a switch to turn on and off and I don't want to play with a switch. We have to keep the standard high in practice and it has to come within the team a little bit.”
California Baptist blew open the first set with a 10-3 run to take an 18-10 lead. The Lopes cut their deficit to 23-17 before CBU used a 5-1 run capped by a Scott Markley ace to take a 28-18 lead. GCU answered with a 5-0 run to get within five at 28-23, but CBU took advantage of a Lopes' error and a Mike MacNeill kill to take a 1-0 match lead.
The Lancers led 14-11 in the second when Grand Canyon used a 7-1 run to take an 18-15 lead. The Lopes eventually took their biggest lead of the set, at 25-21, on a Lancer's error. CBU then used a pair of kills from Cabral and a GCU error to get within one at 25-24, but that was as close as the Lancers came as Grand Canyon tied the match at 1-1.
CBU cruised in the third set to take a 2-1 match lead but had to gut out a fourth and final set to nab the win. The Lancers led early in the set at 9-7, but the Lopes answered with an 11-3 run to take their biggest lead of the set at 18-12. Later, CBU trailed 21-17 before Cabral capped a 6-2 run with a kill to tie it at 23. After a CBU error put GCU up 24-23, the Lancers retook the lead at 25-24 on a Cabral kill and a Lopes' error. A Cabral ace gave CBU a 26-24 lead, but Grand Canyon answered scoring two straight. Then after three straight ties at 27, 28 and 29, Tiedjop gave CBU match point with a kill and Penner sealed it with his final ace of the night.
