The Seattle University volleyball team engaged in another close battle with North Dakota, but the home team was able to hold off the Redhawks for a 3-1 victory (25-18, 25-27, 25-23, 25-21) Saturday night at the Sioux Center.
Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) led SeattleU with a season-high 20 kills, plus she hit .294 for the match and contributed seven digs. Kaytlyn Dill (Bothell, Wash.) finished with 12 kills and eight digs, while Janet Beckerman (Bellevue, Wash.) earned 10 kills and a .471 hitting percentage. Setter Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.) posted a double-double with 42 assists and 11 digs, Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) led the team with 26 digs, and Shea Wright (Boise, Idaho) collected three service aces in the match.
Beckerman earned four kills early in the pivotal third set, giving SeattleU an 8-6 lead. After North Dakota came back to tie the set at 13-13, the Redhawk offense continued to click, as SeattleU's next five points were all earned on kills to open an 18-14 advantage. The offensive efficiency left SeattleU, as North Dakota took advantage of five late Redhawk attack errors to come back and win the third set.
Although Seattle University scored the first three points of the fourth set, North Dakota quickly recovered, scoring the next three points to even things up. Megan Langseth notched a kill and an ace as the home team scored four straight points to take an 11-7 lead. North Dakota maintained the lead the rest of the way, with Annika Smed finishing off the set and the match with a kill.
Down 7-5 in the second set, Seattle University rattled off six straight points, helped by three attack errors from North Dakota, to take an 11-7 lead. North Dakota rallied to go on top 20-18, but SeattleU did not give up, using kills by Kelly Biette (Brighton, Colo.) and Richards to retake the lead, 21-20. North Dakota made an attack error on set point, and two kills by Dill allowed the Redhawks to tie the match at one set apiece.
North Dakota (10-5) slowly took control of the opening set, using an 8-4 run to open a 12-8 advantage. SeattleU stuck around, but the home team closed out the set by outscoring the Redhawks 8-3, thanks in part to kills from four different North Dakota players.
Smed led the way for North Dakota with 19 kills, two aces, and two solo blocks along with a .302 hitting percentage and 14 digs. Devin Trefz collected 13 kills, and Britta Hanson continued her solid offensive play with 12 kills and a .379 hitting percentage. Langseth dished out 42 assists, and Lindsay Vortherms led the way in the back with 25 defensive digs.
Seattle University (4-13) will return to the Pacific Northwest for the next couple of weeks. After a short trip south to face Portland Wednesday, Sept. 30, for a 7 p.m. contest, the Redhawks will host Trinity Western Thursday, Oct. 1, and Portland State Wednesday, Oct. 7, with both matches starting at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center North Court.