10-6-07

Antelopes have block party in win over HPU

The volleyball gods have been smiling down on Grand Canyon the second time through.

OK, we know that already. Let’s not sound like a broken record. But facts are facts, and the second time GCU sees an opponent, they’ve found success.

For the fourth straight two-match series with a PacWest opponent, Grand Canyon has responded from a loss the first time the two teams hooked up by winning the second match.

This time, Hawaii Pacific was the victim as GCU won 30-23, 28-30, 30-25, 23-30, 16-14 Saturday in Antelope Gym in a match that tugged at emotions, momentum shifted back and forth like two kids on a teeter-totter, and well the Antelopes blocked the heck out of the ball.

Yes, GCU coach Kris Naber will tell you it was the defense that did it, those balls her girls dug, but darn those season-high 23 blocks, including 14 by Ashley Bright and 10 by Shea Robinson sure doesn’t look bad on paper this morning.

“I think what they did tonight, and what they did defensively is what we need to expect,” Naber said.

Dana Edington continued her 20-plus kills run, making it five matches in the past six with 20 or more kills as she pounded 24 on a night she hit .373, and Whitney Estes and Robinson added 10 apiece as the Lopes (5-12, 2-4 PacWest) hit at a .236 clip.

Setter Audra Slemmer, a first-year quarterback of the offense, had 48 assists, and the outspoken Estes added four.

“She’s made giant leaps,” said assistant coach Megan Taylor, one of GCU’s best setters in school history, of Slemmer. “She runs the team with authority and confidence.”

Conversely, Hawaii Pacific setter Jackie Thomas had 46 of her team’s 49 assists, and Kelly Balanay had 22 kills. Antje Buskies had 17 kills, and Leslie Schipper 14.

Grand Canyon and Hawaii Pacific each had 74 digs, but where the Antelopes dominated was at the net. That was clear.

GCU outblocked Hawaii Pacific 23-7.

“The pattern has been we lose the first match and come back and win the second one,” Naber began, “but they come back and fix what lost us that match. Like the defense.

“At times we played tight tonight, but there was no time in there where we were too tight to lose. We held our composure.”

GCU’s coaching staff loves to talk about composure. Now what the Antelopes need to do is package that poise with domination. Like beating a team in three, and maximizing a talented roster to prove the first two weeks of the season was more of an anomaly than what could be expected.

Here’s why: in Game 1 were on cruise control when Bright served up two straight aces to take a 12-8 lead. And when HPU (8-11, 3-5) caught the Lopes off guard and snuck up to draw within one 16-15, Grand Canyon responded again with Bright serving. GCU closed out the match on a 14-8 run, culminated with Bright serving and Robinson blocking. Robinson had three blocks down the stretch of Game 1 to put the Sea Warriors away.

After dropping Game 2, Grand Canyon responded in a match they could’ve easily caved, but weren’t going to lose focus, with a nice start to Game 3. Shauna Nieman’s kill staked out a 10-8 lead. Robinson’s kill extended it to 21-17. A pair of aces by HPU’s Jackie Tedesco pulled the Sea Warriors within 27-25, but GCU wasn’t going to be denied as Bright put her paws on big block as the Antelopes closed out with a 3-0 run.

With Slemmer keeping her team in control when the game was on the line, it had a settling effect on an otherwise pressure cooker situation.

“I think they’re looking to her in the huddles,” Naber said of Slemmer, and her command of the team.

Maybe it was no more apparent than in Game 5, when it was make or break and Pacific was dancing with the possibility of sweeping the Grand Canyon. After Balanay slammed home a kill to give the Sea Warriors a 9-7 lead, Edington and Robinson teamed up for a block to draw even at 9-9. Balanay’s kill helped extend the lead to 12-9, but the poised Antelopes strung together one good set after another with the match on the line.

First it was Robinson who banged home a winner. Then it was Edington. Next it was a Bright-eyed block by Ashley to tie it at 12-12. Balanay’s kill was matched by another by Edington, who tacked on two more and Bright delivered the clinching blow with her 14th block of the match.

“We didn’t come in as focused as we needed to on Friday,” Naber said.

But on Saturday all of that changed. And the Antelopes grew up a little more, too.

Grand Canyon will play at Southwestern College in Phoenix on 24th Street & Cactus at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

“This is a good opportunity to dominate leading into Dixie,” Naber said.

One block at a time …

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