University of Nevada Athletics

RENO, Nev. - Nevada Volleyball closed a two game home series against Grand Canyon Friday, losing in five sets (19-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-17, 15-10).

The Pack opened aggressively in set one, winning six of the first eight points, led by strong offensive play. GCU bounced back, winning five of the next six points, led by tight defensive play at the net. The Pack then reopened their lead up, going on three and four-point runs, led by two kills from both Paige Thies and Madison Long. The Pack survived Grand Canyon's pressure, opening the lead up to five points at 22-17 before closing the set out 25-19. 

Set two started off as a tight affair, with both teams tied at 5-5 early on in the set. The Pack went on a four-point mid set run to establish a 12-7 lead off the back of two Malia Pilimai kills and a Lara Pacheco ace. The Lopes then switched on their attack, going on a four and three-point run to tie the game at 15-15. Tough attacking sequences for both sides led to a tie at 20-20, before Thies and Karly Bonaventure sparked Nevada attack with kills that led to a 25-23 set win. 

Nevada opened up the third winning seven of the first eight points to lead 7-1. Leading that run was Pilimai, who had three kills, supplemented by two Pack aces. The Lopes returned fire with two aces of their own, before going on an eight point run to set up a 12-8 lead. Grand Canyon went on a four-point run later in the set, sparked by attacker Bella Nunez, to set up a 19-13 lead. Mckaley Herr put up a fight for the Wolf Pack late in the set, down 22-20, however, the Lopes finished the set strongly, closing the set 25-20.

Set four was kicked off by a couple of Grand Canyon runs, opening an 8-3 lead. The Pack then won five of the next six points, led by two Ceren Sert kills, to cut the lead to 10-8. The Lopes then fired off runs of their own, setting the lead at 20-13 late in the set before eventually closing out 25-17 victors. 

Back and forth action kicked off the deciding set, with Thies earning a kill and an ace early, tying the game at 4-4. A Long kill, Pacheco ace and Lopes attacking error put the Pack up 7-5. Sparked by Macey Hughes, the Lopes went on runs to open the lead to 8-7. Thies and Bonaventure had kills late in the set, before two three-point runs was enough for Grand Canyon to win the decider 15-10. 

Madison Long and Paige Thies paced the Nevada attack with 14 kills a piece, with Long hitting .257 while adding six digs and a block. Malia Pilimai contributed 12 kills, while Ceren Sert added eight kills on a .400 hitting percentage and two blocks. Adriana Dorn directed the offense with 45 assists and 10 digs for a double-double, while Masyn Navarro anchored the defensive effort with a career and match-high 26 digs and five assists. Nevada also received strong back-row production from Lara Pacheco, who tallied 12 digs and two service aces, while Summer Suppik added 10 digs. At the net, Sert and Karly Bonaventure recorded two blocks each for the Wolf Pack.

The Pack split the two game home series with Grand Canyon and will return to action next week for two games against New Mexico in Albuquerque.