Grand Canyon falls in five-setter to Quincy

Grand Canyon had a 2-1 lead and advantages in the fourth and fifth set, but were unable to hang on in a 3-2 Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association loss to Quincy at Antelope Gym Sunday. GCU (11-18, 0-7) fell by set scores of 30-26, 26-30, 24-30, 30-27, 15-13. GCU will play host to Quincy (6-9, 2-4) 7 p.m. Monday night at Antelope Gym.

Grand Canyon had an 11-8 lead, after a kill from sophomore Brock Hutchins (Gilbert, Ariz./Highland/Hawai’i) in the fifth set, and led by four and as late as 22-20 in the fourth set, on a service ace from freshman Chris Lockwood (Lakewood, Calif./Lakewood), but Quincy followed with the next four points and GCU was unable to recover.

On a Lockwood kill, the Antelopes took a 23-23 lead in the third set. It started a stretch that saw the home team score eight of the final 10 points. Three straight points came off Lockwood's ensuing serve, two on Quincy errors and another on a Hutchins kill. GCU ended the game with a kill from sophomore Taylor Griffin (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge).

GCU evened the match 1-1 breaking a 17-17 tie on a Hawk error and following it with a momentum-gaining block from Lockwood, Griffin and freshman Tyler Capko (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde). Lockwood added a kill for a 20-17 lead and Griffin finished off the win again from one of 57 assists totaled from freshman setter Brad Moore (Orange, Calif./Lutheran).

After 16 first-set ties, GCU battled back from a four-point deficit (22-18) late to tie, but Quincy pulled away to take the lead.
Griffin had 14 kills and 15 digs. Hutchins had 17 kills and 10 digs. Freshman libero Trent Bruns (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) added 15 digs.

Capko had 14 kills, eight digs and two service aces. Sophomore Nick Jensen (Herning, Denmark/Ikast Gymnasium/NJIT) had nine kills and six block assists. Lockwood  finished with 10 kills, two block assists and one service ace. Moore had the Antelopes only solo block and also picked up three kills and four digs.

Jensen had the top attack percentage with a .429. Lockwood finished at .375.