PHOENIX – Grand Canyon University defeated Utah Valley University 3-0 (25-19,25-19,25-19) on Saturday Afternoon inside GCU Arena. The Lopes (16-9, 10-4) had a .314 hitting percentage in the win.
Kalea Kennedy led Utah Valley (16-10, 10-4) with nine kills in the match. GCU won the battle at the net by a 7-5 block margin.
GCU used a couple of big runs in the opening set to take control of the first set.
Avery Shewell and
Tori Dorius got off to fast starts for the Wolverines with three kills in the first set. Utah Valley got the GCU lead down to 21-16 after an attack error from Tatum Parrott and kills from Kennedy and Shewell.
Bryton Nixon added four digs, and
Natalie Palmer added seven assists.
The Wolverines got out to a 10-8 lead in the second set. Grand Canyon got some offensive momentum late in the set and started scoring two points for every one point by UVU. The Lopes tied the match at 19-19 before a 6-0 run closed out the set. Kennedy had four of her team-high nine kills in the second set.
Utah Valley caught fire after a 5-0 run put them up 12-8 in the second set. Kennedy had two kills during the stretch as
Caleigh Vagana, and
Kazna Tanuvasa added kills during the stretch. A GCU attack error closed out the set. The Lopes used an 11-2 run to take the lead and ultimately win the set. Vagana led UVU with three kills during the set.
Shewell had seven kills for UVU, and Dorius added eight. Palmer had 18 assists in the match. Nixon finished with 18 digs in the match.Parrott led GCU with ten kills in the match.
Utah Valley will now head to the 2022 WAC Tournament in Edinburg, Texas. They will play on Thursday, Nov. 17, against an opponent to be announced.
