Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
by Kevin Buczek
PHOENIX, Ariz.-Both host Grand Canyon University and No. 2 NAIA nationally ranked Concordia University Irvine hit over .500 on Friday in a pair of three-set victories over Barton College on Friday afternoon in Antelope Gymnasium.
Barton (0-8 overall) will play Concordia (8-3) and Grand Canyon (6-7) a second time on Saturday to conclude the Bulldogs trip to in Arizona.
Sophomore hitter Zach McCalla led BC with 12 points on the day including 10 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Tanner Medina followed with 10.5 points including a team-best 3.5 blocks.
MATCH ONE: Grand Canyon 3, Barton 0
The Antelopes hit .525 en route to a 25-8, 25-15, 25-20 win against Barton. Senior Jordon Tarantino ripped a match-high 10 kills for Grand Canyon.
McCalla, Medina and sophomore Brennan O'Connor all tallied five kills for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Jordan Robison supplied 17 assists and classmate Nick Scalia registered five digs.
GCU hit .714 to win the first set by 17. BC only trailed 10-8 in the middle set but the hosts slowly pulled away with a closing 15-7 run. The Bulldogs threatened to extend the match in a close third set. A kill by McCalla tied the period for a seventh time at 20-20 but the 'Lopes closed out the victory by winning the next five serves.
MATCH TWO: Concordia-Irvine 3, Barton 0
The NAIA national contenders breezed to a 25-12, 25-9, 25-16 win over Barton by hitting .531 and holding the Bulldogs to a negative attack at -.083. The Eagles had four players with seven or more kills that were set up by freshman Roman Seghezzi's 36 assists. Junior Dillon Auxier led CUI with nine kills on 12 swings.
McCalla led the Bulldogs once again with five spikes. Sophomore Ladislav Lelkes was the only other BC player with more than two kills with three. Robison logged 12 assists and Medina posted two solo blocks and three block assists.
Concordia (Calif.) never trailed in the first two sets. Consecutive kills by Medina and McCalla to start the third set gave Barton an early lead in the third. The Bulldogs continued to lead 7-5 after CUI service error, but the Eagles took control with an ensuing 14-2 run and eventually soaring to the sweep.
