7th seeded Lopes set to make NCAA debut

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

(Phoenix, AZ)  The Grand Canyon beach volleyball team makes its NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship debut with a single elimination game against Georgia State on Wednesday at 2 p.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPNU.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

1. HISTORY MADE: GCU qualified with an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever after finishing the regular season with a record-breaking 26 wins.
2. COMMON FOE IN A COMMON PLACE: This will be the second time the Lopes and Panthers compete against each other on the Gulf Shores white sand this season. Back in March, GCU took down Georgia State 4-1 in the March to May tournament.
3. STAGE IS SET: GCU arrived in Gulf Shores, Alabama on Monday and with two practices under their belt on the NCAA courts, the Lopes are ready to play their first postseason game in program history.

SCOUTING

Georgia State

The Panthers took home their first ever C-USA Tournament Championship title after defeating FIU 3-1 to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, and first time since 2016.

Georgia State has matched its program best 26 wins this season, which was previously set in 2016.

The results from the first matchup between the Lopes and Panthers on March 19th:

1. 1. Vastine, Jess/Evans, Anaya (GCU) 2-1 Saga, Elise/Dorn, Kelly (GSU) 21-15 14-21 15-8
   2. Hansen, Allison/Navas, Allanis (GCU) 2-0 Whetstone, Kayla/Kuck, Yasmin (GSU) 21-17 21-13
   3. DeFalco, Teagan/Morin, Samaya (GCU) 2-1 Delmonte, Maddy/Hawes, Eden (GSU) 22-20 18-21 17-15
   4. Ferary, Angel/Ferary, Bella (GSU) 2-0 Roskic, Dana/Hughes, Abbie (GCU) 21-17 23-21
   5. Relaz, Madi/Sanchez, Cami (GCU) 2-0 White, Destiny/Johnson, Ayla (GSU) 21-12 21-14

LAST TIME OUT

The Lopes went 4-0 at the Stanford Invitational to finish the season with 26 wins. GCU picked up wins against No. 8 Stanford, No. 11 Cal, Washington and Saint Mary’s.

On Day 1 in Stanford, GCU took down No. 11 Cal 4-1 and Saint Mary’s 5-0.

On Day 2, the Lopes defeated Washington 5-0 and No. 8 Stanford 4-1.

GCU finished the regular season with an 11-2 record against the Pac-12.

WHAT’S NEXT

If the Lopes win, they will play against the winner of No. 2 seed TCU and No. 15 seed Texas A&M – Corpus Christi on Friday at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time).

Press Release courtesy of Grand Canyon Athletics – Sierra Smith