Grand Canyon volleyball stayed within striking distance throughout the first two sets Saturday night but could not break through, falling 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 to San Francisco at Global Credit Union Arena.<\/p>\n
Junior middle blocker Aubrey Goodere<\/a> led an efficient effort in the middle for the Lopes (2-3), putting down six kills without an error on nine swings for a .667 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Bella Nunez<\/a> led GCU with seven kills while adding 12 assists and five digs.<\/p>\n Senior libero Bella Anderson<\/a> anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs, while junior setter Taylor Kubacak<\/a> recorded 20 assists.<\/p>\n GCU opened the match with a 3-0 run and maintained the early advantage, moving ahead 6-3 before San Francisco began working its way back.<\/p>\n The teams traded points through the middle of the set, with GCU pulling even at 15-15. San Francisco created the first significant separation from there, scoring eight of the next 11 points to take a 23-18 lead.<\/p>\n Fifth-year opposite hitter Starr Williams<\/a> answered with a kill to make it 23-19, and freshman outside hitter Gentry Oblad<\/a> later added a kill, but San Francisco closed the 25-20 opening-set win. The Dons hit .429 in the set with 13 kills and only one attack error.<\/p>\n The Lopes faced their largest deficit of the second set at 18-10 before mounting their best run of the night.<\/p>\n Goodere started the comeback with a kill before freshman middle blocker Kaela Jenkins<\/a> provided a spark off the bench in her collegiate debut. Jenkins recorded consecutive kills to pull GCU within 18-17, then Nunez followed with a kill that gave the Lopes a 19-18 lead and capped a 9-0 GCU run.<\/p>\n From there, neither side could create separation. Nunez put down another kill to tie the set at 21-21 before Goodere and Nunez combined on a block to make it 22-22.<\/p>\n San Francisco responded with the final three points, however, using a kill and two GCU attack errors to escape with a 25-22 win and take a 2-0 match lead.<\/p>\n GCU started quickly again in the third, jumping ahead 5-2. San Francisco responded with an extended run that turned the early deficit into a 15-8 advantage.<\/p>\n The Lopes continued to battle late. Jenkins recorded back-to-back kills to make it 19-14, and GCU eventually cut the deficit to 23-18 behind kills from Williams, freshman outside hitter Milica Zigic<\/a> and Nunez.<\/p>\n