First to 30 wasn't enough for the first three sets of Monday's Grand Canyon-Quincy Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association contest at Antelope Gymnasium.
It was more than enough in the decisive fourth set of GCU's
first-ever MIVA victory.
In another back-and-forth battle, similar to the teams contest the
night before, GCU won 3-1 by set scores of 29-31, 31-29, 32-30,
30-18.
In the fourth set, GCU hit .469 with 16 kills in 32 attempts and
only one error. It held the Hawks to -.156 hitting. Quincy had the
same amount of attempts, but had 11 errors and six kills. Grand
Canyon scored five points off blocks, including the first two of
the set on a pair of block assists from sophomores Nick
Jensen (Herning, Denmark/Ikast Gymnasium/NJIT) and
Brock Hutchins (Gilbert, Ariz./Highland/Hawai'i).
"We talked about finishing games (today)," said GCU coach Chad
Speer. "We met with all the guys, individually, today and talked
about how we were playing like we had nothing to prove. It was time
to take things more serious from point No. 1 to point No. 30."
In sets two and three, GCU was serious for points 31 and 32.
In the third, GCU trailed by three as late as 19-16 and were
against set point at 30-29 until a kill by freshman Chris
Lockwood (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood) tied the match. A
service ace from sophomore Taylor Griffin (Tucson,
Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) put the team up 31-30 and Lockwood
ended the set with a solo block.
In the second set, the Antelopes trailed 28-26 when freshman
Robbie Brannick (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) started a
three-point run with a kill. It was followed by a Quincy error and
a Hutchins kill. Quincy tied the match prior to a Lockwood
unassisted kill and solo block.
GCU had a set point in the first when Jensen and Griffin combined
on a block, but the Hawks followed with four straight points.
Freshman libero Trent Bruns (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission
Viejo) had 18 digs. Freshman setter Brad Moore
(Orange, Calif./Lutheran) had 51 assists and 17 digs.
Hutchins had a game-high 21 digs and .320 average. He also had four
service aces, eight digs and five block assists. Lockwood had 12
kills a .476 average, five service aces, three solo blocks and
three block assists. Jensen had 10 kills a .348 hitting percentage,
three solo blocks and five block assists. Brannick had nine kills,
five digs and three block assists in three games.
GCU will travel to Banner Elk, N.C. this weekend and take on host
Lees-McRae Friday (4 p.m.) and Saturday (noon) and King College
Saturday (10 a.m.).
The Antelopes next home match is April 1 against MIVA-leader
Loyola-Chicago.