Grand Canyon Sweeps IPFW

Friday, March 16

Fort Wayne, Ind.

7:00 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

10-9 (2-3)

Grand Canyon

13-9 (4-1)

GCU

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

3/16/2012 9:01:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Grand Canyon Antelopes pulled ahead 2-0 in the match, and hung on late in the third set to sweep the IPFW men's volleyball team, 3-0 Friday evening at the Gates Sports Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.

IPFW drops its third straight match and moves 10-9 (2-3 MIVA) this season. Grand Canyon has won two of its last three contests and improves to 13-9 overall (4-1 MIVA). The Antelopes beat the Mastodons for the first time in seven total meetings.

In a back and forth first set, the visitors took the lead at 6-5, then erupted on a 6-0 run to move ahead 12-5. Before Grand Canyon could pull away, kills from Ivan Matos and Corey Frain brought IPFW back to within five at 23-17. Another Matos followed to give the 'Dons hope late in the opening frame, but the senior committed an attack error on the set's final play to give Grand Canyon a 25-18 first set win.

The teams traded points to begin the second set, before Matos blasted two early kills and Eddie Rivera added a point to put IPFW up 10-6. A kill from Elon Fyfield a short time later took the game to 14-11, then 16-13, as the teams battled for points midway through the set. With IPFW ahead by three, Grand Canyon stormed back and tied the score at 17-17. Still knotted at 23-23, Antelope Ben Ponnet fired a service ace, then teammate Taylor Galliano blasted a kill to hand the visitors the frame, 25-23.

In the third and would be final set, points traded hands up to 9-9, as kills from Matos, Frain and Anthony Randolph gave IPFW momentum. Looking to extend the contest, the home team stepped up its offensive attack and pulled ahead 13-12, holding the lead to 21-18. However, the Antelopes chipped the three-point advantage, and earned set point at 25-24. On the last play, an attack error from Matos clinched the road win for Grand Canyon.

Matos paced IPFW with 21 kills on 43 attempts, while E. Rivera posted five kills. Omar Rivera tallied 31 assists and four digs. Defensively, Frain managed five blocks. For the match, IPFW recorded a .168 hitting-percentage.

The two teams will wrap-up the weekend doubleheader tomorrow evening (March 17) at 7:00 p.m. EST.

~Feel the Rumble~