Monday, March 8
Riverside, Calif.
6 PM
California Baptist University
4-7,4-7WAC
1
vs
3
Grand Canyon
7-2,7-2WAC
1
2
3
4
F
Grand Canyon
25
25
25
25
3
California Baptist
27
21
14
22
1
Photo by: Reagan Lee
Lancers Battle With the Lopes, Threatening to Force a Fifth Set in WAC Series Opener
3/8/2021 8:28:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
RIVERSIDE – California Baptist University volleyball put Grand Canyon on its heels and threatened to take the Lopes to a fifth set with several comebacks, but was just stopped short on Monday.
The Lancers came out strong with a first-set win in overtime and came close to victories in sets two and four, but GCU bounced back to take the match in four sets (25-27, 25-21, 25-14, 25-22). It marked just the third time this season GCU has lost a first set.
CBU will look to even the season series in the finale back in Van Dyne Tuesday at 3 p.m. The Lopes are in the hunt for a second-straight, runner-up finish in the WAC, as they improve to 7-2 overall and in conference. The Lancers move to 5-7 and 4-7 in conference.
Three Lancers finished with double-doubles in the match. Both setters had one, as Leah Pease finished with 21 assists and 12 digs and Hana Okuhara put up 19 assists and 14 digs. Cassidy Dennison was the third with 13 digs and 11 kills.
Paige Johnstone recorded her third 20-dig performance of the season with 21 and nearly had a double-double herself with eight assists and an ace.
Balance was key to the Lancers' offense, as six players had at least five kills. Sydney Marks was one kill behind Dennison for the team lead with 10, while Christine Graf had nine kills to go with three blocks. Ellie Voss had a big night with eight kills, four blocks and five digs. Tesa Oaks also had six kills, three blocks and three digs in her first appearance in almost a month.
CBU went with a defensive approach and moved true freshman Jennifer Blessing into its regular rotation. The move paid off as she finished with nine digs and an ace and helped make sure the Lopes had to work for every point.
HOW THE SET WAS WON
Six blocks in the first set alone were key to CBU defeating GCU in overtime in set one, 27-25. Chandler Gorman had a hand in five of those blocks.
CBU had to overcome some adversity to get the win, as Grand Canyon jumped out to a 10-4 lead. The Lancers repaid the favor with a 10-4 run of their own, which included three blocks, to tie things up at 14-14.
It was back-and-forth from that point. GCU battled back from down 24-22 to force ties at 24-24 and 25-25, but the Lancers got sideout and set point again, 26-25, on an Ellie Voss kill and an error from the Lopes secured the victory.
The Lancers threatened to make comebacks again in sets two and four. In set two, CBU battled back from a 17-11 deficit and pulled within two, 18-16. The Lancers trailed 17-10 in set four but used a 7-0 run to tie things at 17-17.
Grand Canyon just managed to keep CBU at arm's length each time, though, to pull out the four-set win.
LOPES 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.
Nationally, GCU ranks seventh in NCAA Division I attacks per set (40.27), 18th in kills per set (14.31) and 11th in digs per set (18.92). Individually, Klaire Mitchell ranks 11th in kills per set, while Mitchell and Yeny Murillo rank 12th in Division I in assists and attacks per set. K.J. Adams is 25th in digs per set and Murillo is No. 29 in points per set (4.96).
The Lancers came out strong with a first-set win in overtime and came close to victories in sets two and four, but GCU bounced back to take the match in four sets (25-27, 25-21, 25-14, 25-22). It marked just the third time this season GCU has lost a first set.
CBU will look to even the season series in the finale back in Van Dyne Tuesday at 3 p.m. The Lopes are in the hunt for a second-straight, runner-up finish in the WAC, as they improve to 7-2 overall and in conference. The Lancers move to 5-7 and 4-7 in conference.
Three Lancers finished with double-doubles in the match. Both setters had one, as Leah Pease finished with 21 assists and 12 digs and Hana Okuhara put up 19 assists and 14 digs. Cassidy Dennison was the third with 13 digs and 11 kills.
Paige Johnstone recorded her third 20-dig performance of the season with 21 and nearly had a double-double herself with eight assists and an ace.
"Look, mom, one hand!"
— California Baptist Volleyball (@CBUvolleyball) March 9, 2021
- Paige Johnstone#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/yi47HeNxjh
Balance was key to the Lancers' offense, as six players had at least five kills. Sydney Marks was one kill behind Dennison for the team lead with 10, while Christine Graf had nine kills to go with three blocks. Ellie Voss had a big night with eight kills, four blocks and five digs. Tesa Oaks also had six kills, three blocks and three digs in her first appearance in almost a month.
CBU went with a defensive approach and moved true freshman Jennifer Blessing into its regular rotation. The move paid off as she finished with nine digs and an ace and helped make sure the Lopes had to work for every point.
HOW THE SET WAS WON
Six blocks in the first set alone were key to CBU defeating GCU in overtime in set one, 27-25. Chandler Gorman had a hand in five of those blocks.
𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏'𝙎 𝙒𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙎𝙃𝙀 𝘿𝙊𝙀𝙎
— California Baptist Volleyball (@CBUvolleyball) March 9, 2021
Chandler Gorman has 5⃣ of CBU's 6⃣ blocks in the first set.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/IJrY22lGru
CBU had to overcome some adversity to get the win, as Grand Canyon jumped out to a 10-4 lead. The Lancers repaid the favor with a 10-4 run of their own, which included three blocks, to tie things up at 14-14.
It was back-and-forth from that point. GCU battled back from down 24-22 to force ties at 24-24 and 25-25, but the Lancers got sideout and set point again, 26-25, on an Ellie Voss kill and an error from the Lopes secured the victory.
The Lancers threatened to make comebacks again in sets two and four. In set two, CBU battled back from a 17-11 deficit and pulled within two, 18-16. The Lancers trailed 17-10 in set four but used a 7-0 run to tie things at 17-17.
Grand Canyon just managed to keep CBU at arm's length each time, though, to pull out the four-set win.
We're on a run! 🏃♀️#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/OgDsBE9jH5
— California Baptist Volleyball (@CBUvolleyball) March 9, 2021
LOPES 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.
Nationally, GCU ranks seventh in NCAA Division I attacks per set (40.27), 18th in kills per set (14.31) and 11th in digs per set (18.92). Individually, Klaire Mitchell ranks 11th in kills per set, while Mitchell and Yeny Murillo rank 12th in Division I in assists and attacks per set. K.J. Adams is 25th in digs per set and Murillo is No. 29 in points per set (4.96).
Team Stats
GCU
CBU
Kills
63
51
Errors
21
24
Attempts
177
174
Hitting %
.237
.155
Points
79.0
62.0
Assists
63
51
Aces
3
2
Blocks
13.0
9.0
Game Leaders
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
10
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Players Mentioned
L
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
MB
/ Women's VolleyballOH
/ Women's Volleyball
L
/ Women's VolleyballMB
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's VolleyballMB
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