Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) led the way for Seattle University, earning a season-high 16 kills and three service aces along with seven defensive digs and two block assists. Janet Beckerman (Bellevue, Wash.) followed up her solid performance in the morning match with eight kills, while Raissa Licano-Sanchez (Grandview, Wash.) contributed six kills and two total blocks.
The Seattle University backline worked hard to keep play going, led by Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) with 11 digs. Megan Augustavo (Shoreline, Wash.) and Shea Wright (Boise, Idaho) both collected career highs in digs, with Augustavo notching nine digs and Wright picking up eight digs along with a service ace. Setter Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.) tied her season high with 35 assists.
Down by three early in the second set, Seattle University started its comeback, as Richards earned five kills and UC Santa Barbara committed four attack errors to allow the Redhawks to take a 14-9 lead. The Gauchos would pull into a 20-20 tie, but a UCSB service error, a block by Licano-Sanchez and Mellies, and kills from Richards, Deleissegues, and Beckerman buoyed SeattleU to the second set victory.
UCSB scored the first three points of the third set, but Seattle University again came from behind, going on a 7-1 run to jump on top, 16-13. The Gauchos scored the next three points to tie the set, and then the two teams started trading points until the set was tied at 22-22. UC Santa Barbara took advantage of a Redhawk attack error, as kills by Leah Sully and Charlene DeHoog closed out the third set and gave the Gauchos a 2-1 lead.
A service error and three straight attack errors hurt SeattleU, giving UC Santa Barbara a three-point lead in the fourth set. The Gauchos proceeded to go on a 13-4 run to close out the set and the match, as the team posted a .526 hitting percentage and pressured the Redhawks into posting more attack errors than kills in the set.
UC Santa Barbara (7-2) scored five unanswered points early in the first set to take a 9-4 lead. After a kill by Beckerman brought SeattleU back within five points, the Gauchos went on a 13-3 run the rest of the way, hitting .500 in the set while forcing the Redhawks to collect more attack errors than kills.
For UCSB, Sully finished with 14 kills and 14 defensive digs, followed closely by Rebecca Saraceno with 13 kills and Stacey Schmidt with nine kills and a .500 hitting percentage. Setter Dana Vargas finished with 42 assists and eight digs, and libero Chelsey Lowe picked up 13 defensive digs during the match.
Seattle University (3-10) faces Santa Clara Saturday, Sept. 19, at 4:30 p.m. in its final match of the tournament. The Redhawks welcome North Dakota to the Connolly Center for their first home match in 24 days Tuesday, Sept. 22, beginning at 7 p.m.