Grand Canyon Rallies To Defeat Chicago State Volleyball 3-2 In WAC Opener

Box Score HTML Box Score

CHICAGO – Chicago State volleyball dropped a heartbreaker on Saturday (Sept. 28) afternoon at the Jacoby Dickens Center to Grand Canyon 3-2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-7). The match was the first Western Athletic Conference contest in Chicago State history for any sport.
 
Junior Valeria Desiderio (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom) opened the match with three consecutive aces. It helped the Cougars lead wire-to-wire in the frame, holding a lead as large as 14-6. Senior Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo) delivered a kill for point 25. Chicago State limited the Antelopes to a -.026 hitting percentage in the frame.
 
While set one was a no-doubter for the Cougars, set two was as tight as they come with 16 ties and 10 lead changes. It looked like the Antelopes were on their way to the equalizer after taking a 23-21 lead. Then back came the Cougars with four straight points. It started with a block by freshman Chinwendu Ngwadom (Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons) and senior Rachel Levitt (Willow Springs, Ill./Lyons Township). Then a kill by senior Paula Sioto (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Instituto Educacional Raphael Di Santo) tied it at 23. Grand Canyon asked for time but it was no help. A Grand Canyon ball handling error put Chicago State up 24-23 and then Levitt turned in a kill for point 25. Chicago State recorded 22 kills in the second set alone.
 
The Antelopes controlled sets three and five. The Cougars' best chance to win the match came in the fourth. A Levitt kill and solo block by Ngwadom put the Cougars within two points at 20-18. Grand Canyon asked for time and came out of the break with three straight points. It vaulted them to the victory.
 
Freshman Mackenzie Lotter (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) finished with a career-high 51 assists while adding 11 digs for a double-double. Levitt totaled a season and match-high 17 kills, two short of her career best mark. Sioto totaled 16 kills. Junior Mia Townsell (Gardnerville, Nev./Douglas) also recorded a season high with 26 digs.
 
The Antelopes made up for early offensive struggles with a 17-8 advantage in blocks for the match.
 
Grand Canyon improves to 7-6 (1-1 WAC). Chicago State falls to 2-13 (0-1 WAC). The Cougars and fellow first-year WAC member Kansas City hit the court on Sunday (Sept. 29) for a 1 p.m. match at the Jacoby Dickens Center.