Grand Canyon University Athletics: GCU Celebrates Thrilling Victory in 3rd Match This Week!

Grand Canyon had a tough battle, defeating UC San Diego to secure their third win in four days. Several young players stepped up due to some teammates being ill or injured. Three freshmen made key contributions, helping the Lopes to a 5-2 victory over the Tritons.

Coach Derek Siddiqui expressed pride in the team’s effort. “They competed bravely. That’s all I could ask for,” he said. The team embraced a new motto: to ‘Play brave,’ and they certainly did.

The Lopes fell behind after losing the doubles point for the first time over the weekend. The only pair to secure a win in doubles was freshmen Andreas Loizas and Diordan Macabbabad. In singles, each match was fierce, with three going into third sets, but the Lopes held strong and won all of them.

First to finish was sophomore Brice Patoux, who won his match on Court 2 with scores of 7-6, 6-2. Freshman Loizas also claimed victory in straight sets on Court 3, marking his sixth singles win of the season.

After sophomore Nikita Volonski lost only his second match this season, the Lopes’ hopes rested on winning just one match from Courts 4 or 6. Graduate Matteo Lugari fought hard, trading 6-4 sets, while Macabbabad, despite losing a commanding lead earlier, showcased resilience by winning his final set 6-3. This victory secured the win for the Lopes and made him 4-0 this season.

The atmosphere was electric at the GCU Tennis Facility as teammates cheered each other on. Coach Siddiqui praised their performance: “Fin came back strong after two losses, and Diordan fought back after losing the first set. Everyone is contributing, which is a huge advantage.”

The Lopes will continue their home stand with matches against Pacific and UNLV coming up this Friday and Sunday.

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