ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's sixth ranked men's volleyball team defeated eighth ranked Grand Canyon in a five-set thriller on Saturday evening at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers improve to 6-2 while the Lopes drop to 6-3.

Lewis overcame a five-point deficit in the opening set and led by as many as two at 24-22 after an ace from Cole Brillhart (York, Pa./Northeastern) gave the Flyers set point. GCU scored back-to-back points to even things at 24 but Lewis got back-to-back kills from Jason Gibbs (Bellaire, Texas/Bellarie) to win the opening stanza 26-24.

The Lopes led wire-to-wire in the second stanza as they built a six-point cushion midway through the set. The Flyers tried to make a late run getting to within four but wouldn't get any closer as GCU won the frame 25-19 to even the match at a set apiece.

Lewis led by as many as three points in the swing set but had to withstand a late Lope rally as the Flyers had three set points but GCU fought off two of them before Tyler Simpson (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) and Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) blocked Camden Gianni at the net to win the stanza 25-23.

Lewis led briefly in set four before the Lopes went on a 9-4 run to take a 13-9 lead. The Flyers closed to within three at 18-15 after a kill from Michael Sack (Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Laurence) but GCU was able to force a winner take all fifth set scoring seven of the final 12 points to win 25-20.

In the finale, the Lopes raced out to an early 5-2 lead but Lewis came back to tie things at five on a kill from Gibbs. GCU regained the lead scoring three of the next four points to lead 8-6 midway through frame. The Flyers countered with a 6-1 run getting kills from Kauling, Brillhart, Simpson and Gibbs to take a 12-9 lead.

Gianni knocked down his match-high 25th kill to bring the Lopes within two but Lewis closed out the match by scoring the last three points to win 15-10.

The Flyers hit .266 for the match recording 57 kills against 23 errors in 128 chances. They were led by Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) with 16 kills while Gibbs added 14 and Kauling had a triple-double with 10 kills, 29 assists and 12 digs in the contest.

GCU had an attack percentage of .279 for the match with 59 kills against 21 errors in 136 chances. Gianni was joined in double figures by Christian Janke with 15 kills. Nicholas Slight had 47 assists while Janke and Cole Udall had 10 digs each.

Lewis continues its homestand on Thursday (Feb. 10) hosting 10th ranked Ball State at 7 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena in the MIVA opener for both squads.