Two kills and a block assist by Keller allowed SeattleU to take the early 5-1 lead in the first set. After the Spartans rattled off four straight points to tie the set, the two teams traded points until the Redhawks went on a 9-1 run to open a 19-11 advantage. After a Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) service ace brought about set point at 24-15, San Jose State won five straight points before Janet Beckerman (Bellevue, Wash.) ended the set with a kill.
San Jose State (0-3) scored the first four points of the second set and never looked back, although Seattle University did come within one point midway through the set. A 7-1 run by the Spartans gave the visitors some breathing room, and Kylie Miraldi clinched the set with a kill to tie the match at one set apiece heading into the intermission.
Down 8-5 early in the third set, the Redhawks outscored the Spartans 9-3 to take a three-point lead of their own at 14-11. San Jose State came back to tie the set, but back-to-back kills by Kelly Biette (Brighton, Colo.) and Beckerman gave SeattleU the lead for good. San Jose State was its own worst enemy late in the set, committing two service errors and an attack error to give SeattleU a 2-1 advantage.
Seattle University scored the first five points of the fourth set, but the Spartans once again came back, scored five unanswered points of their own to pull out on top, 8-7. A kill and a block assist from Keller, followed by a service ace from Jessica Gunderson (Duvall, Wash.), allowed the Redhawks to take the lead for good. Richards ended the set and the match with a kill, her 11th of the contest to lead SeattleU.
Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.) finished the night with 31 assists, two kills, four digs, and five total blocks, while Beckerman did not commit an attack error, notching six kills, a .462 hitting percentage, and two block assists during the night. Gunderson also had six kills to go along with three service aces, and Megan Augustavo (Shoreline, Wash.) and Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) combined for 17 digs to help the Redhawks defensively.
Taylor Japhet led the Spartans with 17 kills and a .387 hitting percentage, with Miraldi contributing 10 kills on a .318 hitting percentage. As a team, San Jose State only earned two team blocks, but did pick up 50 defensive digs, led by Kristal Tsukano with 11 digs and Katie Turner with 10 digs. Asia Casino took over at the setter position in the second set, finishing with 29 assists to go along with three kills, two aces, and four digs.
Seattle University (1-2) heads to Oregon next weekend, first to face the nationally-ranked Ducks Friday, Sept. 4, beginning at 7 p.m. in Eugene, Ore. After that, the Redhawks head to Corvallis, Ore., for the Active Ankle Challenge, taking on Wisconsin, Oregon State, and UC Riverside on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6. SeattleU does not play another home match until Tuesday, Sept. 22, against North Dakota beginning at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center.