Saturday, March 18
Phoenix, Ariz.
9 p.m.
Purdue Fort Wayne
5-17
2
at
3
Grand Canyon
14-8
1
2
3
4
5
F
Fort Wayne
25
22
28
25
17
2
Grand Canyon
18
25
30
21
19
3
Team Stats
FW
GCU
Kills
72
74
Errors
21
19
Attempts
142
152
Hitting %
.359
.362
Points
90.5
87.5
Assists
69
67
Aces
9
0
Blocks
9.5
13.5
Game Leaders
Kills
29
Aces
2
Blocks
4
Kills
19
Aces
2
Blocks
1
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
2
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
6
Players Mentioned
L
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's Volleyball
MB
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's Volleyball
OH
/ Men's Volleyball
S
/ Men's VolleyballMB
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's VolleyballOH
/ Men's Volleyball
Photo by: Aaron Johnson
Fort Wayne Drops Second Match at Grand Canyon in Five Sets
3/18/2017 11:35:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
PHOENIX - Despite career-highs from Nick Smalter and Michael Keegan, the Fort Wayne men's volleyball team fell to Grand Canyon in five sets (18-25, 25-22, 30-28, 21-25, 19-17) in Antelope Gymnasium on Saturday night (March 18).
The Mastodons came out hot, hitting .545 (14-2-22) in the first set behind five and four kills from Smalter and Colton Stone respectively. The 'Dons took three straight to start the set, and extended the lead to as many as six by the 22-16 mark. Service aces from Smalter and Gabriel Quinones helped lead the charge. Smalter had the last Fort Wayne kill in the first set. Graydon Schroeder and Smalter blocked three balls each in the first set. Stone finished the set with a perfect hitting percentage (4-0-4).
The second set favored the Lopes early, as they opened a 10-6 lead to start. Fort Wayne answered by rattling off a 5-2 run to go within one on two service aces from Austin Neace. GCU finished the set on a 5-2 run to even the score at one set each.
In the third, the Lopes jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the set, but the 'Dons went on a 9-2 run to get within two. Fort Wayne took its first lead of the third set at the 19-18 mark after an ace from Smalter. The score went back and forth, and the 'Dons had two set point opportunities, but GCU took its fourth set point chance.
Smalter continued his hot hitting in the fourth, having five kills in the first 11 Mastodon points. A solo block by Keegan gave the 'Dons a 14-13 lead, their first since 5-4. Stone also caught fire in the fourth, having six of his 19 kills. After an 18-all tie, the 'Dons went on a 7-3 run to finish the set. Fort Wayne hit .500 (19-3-32) to force a fifth set.
The final set of the night was back and forth, as neither team led by more than two points. Keegan, Stone and Kyle Fitzgerald each had a service ace. Three kills from Smalter held the Lopes from match points at 14-13, 15-14, and 16-15, but GCU took the last two points of the evening.
Smalter finished with a career-high 29 kills with 6 errors for a .451 percentage. Smalter's 29 is the highest single-match kill total of the season for the Mastodons. Stone also had 19 kills on 40 attempts for a .300 percentage. Jack Carlson, Keegan and Neace led the 'Dons in digs with nine each, while Smalter and Stone had eight and seven each. Schroeder finished a season-high six blocks, while Keegan and Smalter blocked four balls each. Keegan finished with a career-high 64 assists.
The Mastodons fall to 5-17, 2-8 MIVA while the Lopes improve to 14-8, 10-4 MIVA. The 'Dons are back in action on Thursday (March 23) when they visit No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
The Mastodons came out hot, hitting .545 (14-2-22) in the first set behind five and four kills from Smalter and Colton Stone respectively. The 'Dons took three straight to start the set, and extended the lead to as many as six by the 22-16 mark. Service aces from Smalter and Gabriel Quinones helped lead the charge. Smalter had the last Fort Wayne kill in the first set. Graydon Schroeder and Smalter blocked three balls each in the first set. Stone finished the set with a perfect hitting percentage (4-0-4).
The second set favored the Lopes early, as they opened a 10-6 lead to start. Fort Wayne answered by rattling off a 5-2 run to go within one on two service aces from Austin Neace. GCU finished the set on a 5-2 run to even the score at one set each.
In the third, the Lopes jumped out to a 7-0 lead to start the set, but the 'Dons went on a 9-2 run to get within two. Fort Wayne took its first lead of the third set at the 19-18 mark after an ace from Smalter. The score went back and forth, and the 'Dons had two set point opportunities, but GCU took its fourth set point chance.
Smalter continued his hot hitting in the fourth, having five kills in the first 11 Mastodon points. A solo block by Keegan gave the 'Dons a 14-13 lead, their first since 5-4. Stone also caught fire in the fourth, having six of his 19 kills. After an 18-all tie, the 'Dons went on a 7-3 run to finish the set. Fort Wayne hit .500 (19-3-32) to force a fifth set.
The final set of the night was back and forth, as neither team led by more than two points. Keegan, Stone and Kyle Fitzgerald each had a service ace. Three kills from Smalter held the Lopes from match points at 14-13, 15-14, and 16-15, but GCU took the last two points of the evening.
Smalter finished with a career-high 29 kills with 6 errors for a .451 percentage. Smalter's 29 is the highest single-match kill total of the season for the Mastodons. Stone also had 19 kills on 40 attempts for a .300 percentage. Jack Carlson, Keegan and Neace led the 'Dons in digs with nine each, while Smalter and Stone had eight and seven each. Schroeder finished a season-high six blocks, while Keegan and Smalter blocked four balls each. Keegan finished with a career-high 64 assists.
The Mastodons fall to 5-17, 2-8 MIVA while the Lopes improve to 14-8, 10-4 MIVA. The 'Dons are back in action on Thursday (March 23) when they visit No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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