Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, January 7
Stockton, CA
2 p.m.
Grand Canyon
0-1
0
at
3
Pacific
1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon | 19 | 23 | 24 | 0 |
| Pacific | 25 | 25 | 26 | 3 |
Jordon Tarantino had eight block assists, one shy of his career high, and tied for fourth most all-time in a single match, in Saturday's contest at Pacific.
GCU Defeated In Season Opener At Pacific
1/7/2012 9:54:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
Grand Canyon’s men’s volleyball team lost 3-0 in the season opener at the University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Saturday.
The Antelopes fell by set scores of 25-19, 25-23, 26-24.
“I think, offensively, we played like a season-opener,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “We put together 10-15 point stretches where we played well, and then we’d have a five-point stretch where we didn’t. That hurt us.”
GCU had leads late in both the second and third sets.
In the second, junior outside hitter Jordon Tarantino and freshman middle blocker Ryan Mather combined on a block for a 21-20 lead. A Connor Dougherty kill put the ‘Lopes up 22-21.
In the third, Grand Canyon led as much as four as late as 19-15 and had a 21-18 lead after a combo block from Dougherty, Tarantino and freshman Ryan Olson. Pacific scored the final four points of the match.
“We have to handle the end game better,” said Price.
The second-year GCU coach said there were many positives in the opener, too.
Tarantino had a team-high 11 kills to go with eight block assists -- one shy of his career-high and tied for fourth most by a GCU player in a single match. GCU had 14.5 total team blocks, the fourth most all-time in a single match. Mather had seven assists. Dougherty had four. Setter Keith Smith had a solo block and three block assists.
“We worked hard on our blocking in the preseason,” added Price.
Ben Ponnet added 10 kills and two service aces. Smith had an assist on each of GCU’s 34 kills. Libero Trent Bruns had a team-high seven digs.
“The first set, we played like it was the first set of the year, but we played much better in the second and third sets,” said Price. “We were good defensively in the middle. We’ll have to pick up our offensively play (Sunday).”
The teams meet again Sunday at 2 p.m. at Alex G. Spanos Center. GCU’s road trip continues Monday with a match at UC Santa Cruz.
Pacific 3, GCU 0
The Antelopes fell by set scores of 25-19, 25-23, 26-24.
“I think, offensively, we played like a season-opener,” said GCU coach Jeremy Price. “We put together 10-15 point stretches where we played well, and then we’d have a five-point stretch where we didn’t. That hurt us.”
GCU had leads late in both the second and third sets.
In the second, junior outside hitter Jordon Tarantino and freshman middle blocker Ryan Mather combined on a block for a 21-20 lead. A Connor Dougherty kill put the ‘Lopes up 22-21.
In the third, Grand Canyon led as much as four as late as 19-15 and had a 21-18 lead after a combo block from Dougherty, Tarantino and freshman Ryan Olson. Pacific scored the final four points of the match.
“We have to handle the end game better,” said Price.
The second-year GCU coach said there were many positives in the opener, too.
Tarantino had a team-high 11 kills to go with eight block assists -- one shy of his career-high and tied for fourth most by a GCU player in a single match. GCU had 14.5 total team blocks, the fourth most all-time in a single match. Mather had seven assists. Dougherty had four. Setter Keith Smith had a solo block and three block assists.
“We worked hard on our blocking in the preseason,” added Price.
Ben Ponnet added 10 kills and two service aces. Smith had an assist on each of GCU’s 34 kills. Libero Trent Bruns had a team-high seven digs.
“The first set, we played like it was the first set of the year, but we played much better in the second and third sets,” said Price. “We were good defensively in the middle. We’ll have to pick up our offensively play (Sunday).”
The teams meet again Sunday at 2 p.m. at Alex G. Spanos Center. GCU’s road trip continues Monday with a match at UC Santa Cruz.
Pacific 3, GCU 0
Team Stats
GCU
PACIFIC
Kills
34
41
Errors
26
19
Attempts
95
96
Hitting %
.084
.229
Points
50.5
56.5
Assists
34
38
Aces
2
0
Blocks
14.5
15.5
Game Leaders
Kills
11
Aces
0
Blocks
8
Kills
10
Aces
2
Blocks
0
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
4
Kills
5
Aces
0
Blocks
7
Tuesday, June 09
Tuesday, June 09
Tuesday, June 09
Monday, June 08