Monday, March 8
Riverside, Calif.
6 PM
California Baptist University
vs
Grand Canyon
Photo by: Andrew Shortall
VB Preview: CBU Welcomes Grand Canyon to Riverside for Pivotal Conference Series
3/6/2021 7:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE – Coming off a straight-set victory, California Baptist University volleyball will look to keep its momentum rolling into a Western Athletic Conference showdown with Grand Canyon next week.
It will be a pivotal series when it comes to positioning in the WAC standings. GCU is 6-2 overall and in league play, but trails Utah Valley (8-3, 8-2 in WAC) for second place in the conference due to having two less WAC matches so far. The Lancers (5-6, 4-6) are currently in sixth place in the league, but one win could vault them up into fourth place.
CBU will look to knock off a Lopes team that's looking to secure its second runner-up conference finish. GCU was picked to finish second in the WAC's Preseason Coaches Poll after it finished there in the 2019 regular season and conference tournament. Both of the Lopes' losses have come against NM State. They are the only WAC team to take a set off the Aggies this year.
The Lancers are coming off a match sweep over The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The season series was split, with the Vaqueros winning the first match in straight sets before the Lancers returned the favor the next day. It snapped a five-match losing streak for CBU.
SERIES NOTES
These longtime conference foes know each other well. CBU and Grand Canyon were PacWest foes in 2011-12 and picked back up their conference rivalry when the Lancers joined the WAC in 2018. The Lopes own an 8-4 advantage in all-time series, which dates back to 1988. The Lancers have gone 3-2 versus GCU in Riverside, though.
In recent memory, GCU has a 6-2 edge over CBU going back through 2011. The Lopes also have a 3-1 edge in the WAC era. Grand Canyon swept the season series last year, defeating CBU in five sets in the Van Dyne Gym (22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18, 15-11) and in four sets in Phoenix (16-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16). CBU's last win against GCU came in the Van Dyne Gym on Oct. 4, 2018 (25-21, 25-20, 16-25, 25-19).
ON THE ATTACK
It's no secret Calissa Hoye is a focal point of CBU's offense. The senior transfer from the University of Iowa leads the Lancers in kills with 141 overall and 3.71 a set. It gives her 54 more kills than the next teammate. She has now reached double-digit kills eight times and has two 20-kill performances on the year. Hoye is a full-rotation player for the Lancers and has five double-doubles so far this season, with 81 digs (2.13 a set).
STRONG IN THE MIDDLE
Ellie Voss is putting together a strong run of play for the Lancers. The middle blocker has at least six kills and three blocks in each of the last three matches. The junior posted at least six kills and five blocks in both matches at UTRGV last week. On the year, Voss has 62 kills (1.59 a set) on a team-high .281 hitting percentage (62-19-153). She also leads CBU with 29 blocks (0.74), with five solo stuffs.
WELCOME THE NEW LIBERO
Sophomore Paige Johnstone has shined in her debut season at libero. She leads the Lancers with 154 digs for a 4.16 per set average. The Murrieta native also has a team-high 12 aces and 33 assists. She has double-digit digs in nine of 11 matches, eight matches with 14 or more and two 20-dig performances. Her season-high of 24 digs came at Tarleton State on Feb. 2.
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Grand Canyon
Date: March 8-9
Time: Match 1 @ 6 p.m. | Match 2 @ 3 p.m.
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Van Dyne Gym)
Video Match 1 (March 8): WAC Digital Network
Video Match 2 (March 9): WAC Digital Network
Live Stats: Statbroadcast – (Match 1) / (Match 2)
GCU AT A GLANCE
GCU has the added advantage of having nearly two full weeks to prepare for the Lancers, as they're coming off a bye week. The Lopes are looking to solidify themselves as the undisputed No. 2 in the WAC.
Grand Canyon took second in the WAC's regular season and conference tournament in 2019. The Lopes are looking to do that again, as they currently have just two league losses. Utah Valley currently has a slight edge over GCU at 8-2 in the WAC.
Defense may be where Grand Canyon is best. The Lopes' 18.92 digs per set are a WAC best, while they rank second in kills per set (14.31), hitting percentage (.242), assists per set (13.08) and third in aces per set (1.38).
Several Lopes lead the WAC in statistical categories. Yeny Murillo leads the conference with 4.69 kills per set, K.J. Adams' 5.38 digs per set are a league-best and Klaire Mitchell's 11.42 assists per set are conference-high by a long shot. Hannah Eskes also ranks third in the WAC in blocks per set (1.25) and fourth in hitting percentage (.369).
Nationally, GCU ranks seventh in Division I attacks per set (40.27), 18th in kills per set (14.31) and 11th in digs per set. Individually, Mitchell ranks 11th in kills per set, while Mitchell and Murillo rank 12th in Division I in assists and attacks per set. Adams is 25th in digs per set and Murillo is No. 29 in points per set (4.96).
It will be a pivotal series when it comes to positioning in the WAC standings. GCU is 6-2 overall and in league play, but trails Utah Valley (8-3, 8-2 in WAC) for second place in the conference due to having two less WAC matches so far. The Lancers (5-6, 4-6) are currently in sixth place in the league, but one win could vault them up into fourth place.
CBU will look to knock off a Lopes team that's looking to secure its second runner-up conference finish. GCU was picked to finish second in the WAC's Preseason Coaches Poll after it finished there in the 2019 regular season and conference tournament. Both of the Lopes' losses have come against NM State. They are the only WAC team to take a set off the Aggies this year.
The Lancers are coming off a match sweep over The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, Texas. The season series was split, with the Vaqueros winning the first match in straight sets before the Lancers returned the favor the next day. It snapped a five-match losing streak for CBU.
SERIES NOTES
These longtime conference foes know each other well. CBU and Grand Canyon were PacWest foes in 2011-12 and picked back up their conference rivalry when the Lancers joined the WAC in 2018. The Lopes own an 8-4 advantage in all-time series, which dates back to 1988. The Lancers have gone 3-2 versus GCU in Riverside, though.
In recent memory, GCU has a 6-2 edge over CBU going back through 2011. The Lopes also have a 3-1 edge in the WAC era. Grand Canyon swept the season series last year, defeating CBU in five sets in the Van Dyne Gym (22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18, 15-11) and in four sets in Phoenix (16-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16). CBU's last win against GCU came in the Van Dyne Gym on Oct. 4, 2018 (25-21, 25-20, 16-25, 25-19).
ON THE ATTACK
It's no secret Calissa Hoye is a focal point of CBU's offense. The senior transfer from the University of Iowa leads the Lancers in kills with 141 overall and 3.71 a set. It gives her 54 more kills than the next teammate. She has now reached double-digit kills eight times and has two 20-kill performances on the year. Hoye is a full-rotation player for the Lancers and has five double-doubles so far this season, with 81 digs (2.13 a set).
STRONG IN THE MIDDLE
Ellie Voss is putting together a strong run of play for the Lancers. The middle blocker has at least six kills and three blocks in each of the last three matches. The junior posted at least six kills and five blocks in both matches at UTRGV last week. On the year, Voss has 62 kills (1.59 a set) on a team-high .281 hitting percentage (62-19-153). She also leads CBU with 29 blocks (0.74), with five solo stuffs.
WELCOME THE NEW LIBERO
Sophomore Paige Johnstone has shined in her debut season at libero. She leads the Lancers with 154 digs for a 4.16 per set average. The Murrieta native also has a team-high 12 aces and 33 assists. She has double-digit digs in nine of 11 matches, eight matches with 14 or more and two 20-dig performances. Her season-high of 24 digs came at Tarleton State on Feb. 2.
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Grand Canyon
Date: March 8-9
Time: Match 1 @ 6 p.m. | Match 2 @ 3 p.m.
Location: Riverside, Calif. (Van Dyne Gym)
Video Match 1 (March 8): WAC Digital Network
Video Match 2 (March 9): WAC Digital Network
Live Stats: Statbroadcast – (Match 1) / (Match 2)
GCU AT A GLANCE
GCU has the added advantage of having nearly two full weeks to prepare for the Lancers, as they're coming off a bye week. The Lopes are looking to solidify themselves as the undisputed No. 2 in the WAC.
Grand Canyon took second in the WAC's regular season and conference tournament in 2019. The Lopes are looking to do that again, as they currently have just two league losses. Utah Valley currently has a slight edge over GCU at 8-2 in the WAC.
Defense may be where Grand Canyon is best. The Lopes' 18.92 digs per set are a WAC best, while they rank second in kills per set (14.31), hitting percentage (.242), assists per set (13.08) and third in aces per set (1.38).
Several Lopes lead the WAC in statistical categories. Yeny Murillo leads the conference with 4.69 kills per set, K.J. Adams' 5.38 digs per set are a league-best and Klaire Mitchell's 11.42 assists per set are conference-high by a long shot. Hannah Eskes also ranks third in the WAC in blocks per set (1.25) and fourth in hitting percentage (.369).
Nationally, GCU ranks seventh in Division I attacks per set (40.27), 18th in kills per set (14.31) and 11th in digs per set. Individually, Mitchell ranks 11th in kills per set, while Mitchell and Murillo rank 12th in Division I in assists and attacks per set. Adams is 25th in digs per set and Murillo is No. 29 in points per set (4.96).
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballMonday, September 22
Tuesday, September 17
Tuesday, October 17
Monday, September 18
