March 15, 2010

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.