Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) led the way with 11 kills and no attack errors for a .379 hitting percentage, along with eight digs and five block assists. In the final match of her collegiate career, senior Jessica Gunderson (Duvall, Wash.) earned a season-high eight kills, tied her career high with four total blocks, and set a new career high with 11 defensive digs.
Saint Martin's (3-21) seemed like a different team after the intermission, using two kills by Malia Ibarra to take a 6-2 lead, and then continuing the momentum by going on a 10-1 run to extend the advantage to 18-6. However, the Saints started making mistakes, and SeattleU took advantage of them, including a run of four blocks and a service ace with Richards, Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.), and Raissa Licano-Sanchez (Grandview, Wash.) at the net and Kelly Biette (Brighton, Colo.) serving as part of a 15-1 run that gave the Redhawks a 21-19 lead.
The Saints fought back, tying the set four times on kills. Seattle University earned its second match point with a kill by Karina Miastkowska (Northbrook, Ill.). Appropriately, Gunderson helped finish the Senior Night match by combining with Biette for the team's 11th and final block of the night.
Licano-Sanchez led all players with six block assists, and Mellies contributed three total blocks to go along with 28 assists, 10 digs, and four kills. Kaytlyn Dill (Bothell, Wash.) finished with seven kills, while Miastkowska contributed four kills in the third set. Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) led the team with 19 defensive digs, and Megan Augustavo (Shoreline, Wash.) added seven digs to the winning effort.
For Saint Martin's, Teilissa Tua led the way with nine kills, and Ibarra collected five kills, a match-high three service aces, and ten digs. Setter Cymbree Decosta dished out 23 assists along with seven digs, and libero Brianna Bautista led the Saints with 16 defensive digs.
Seattle University finishes the 2009 season with an 8-20 record which included matches against three teams currently in the AVCA Top 25 poll and four others who are also receiving votes. Gunderson is the only senior on the squad, leaving an experienced team for the 2010 campaign.