Cristin Richards (Olympia, Wash.) notched a season-high 23 kills, plus she earned two service aces, eight digs, and four total blocks. Janet Beckerman (Bellevue, Wash.) finished with 13 kills and six total blocks, while Sarah Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) collected nine kills and nine digs and Allison Farley (Happy Valley, Ore.) contributed seven kills and a team-high seven total blocks.
Seattle U went on a 5-0 run early in the first set to take a 10-6 lead, but Oregon State with its own 5-1 scoring run to tie the set at 11-11. With the score tied at 22-22, the Redhawks made a service error, Dre Shaw earned a kill, and Seattle U's attack error clinched the opening set for the Beavers.
The second set proved to be just as close, as an early two-point lead for Seattle U thanks to back-to-back blocks quickly evaporated. Oregon State scored seven unanswered points, including three kills by Jill Sawatzky, to pull ahead, 21-15, but four straight points for the Redhawks late in the set cut the Beaver lead to one at 24-23 before Shaw's kill gave the visitors the 2-0 lead heading into the intermission.
Oregon State (6-5) scored the first four points of the third set, but Seattle U scored the next five points, and the third set became as tight as the previous two sets. Down 22-21, the Redhawks received kills from Richards and Beckerman to take the lead and, after a block by Oregon State, Richards closed out the set with consecutive kills to extend the match.
Richards continued her solid play in the fourth set, going 8-for-10 on attack attempts without an error. A kill by Farley gave the Redhawks an 18-13 lead, but Oregon State chipped away, with two kills by Sawatzky as well as a block assist and a kill from Ashley Eneliko putting the Beavers ahead, 21-20. In fact, Oregon State had three chances to close out the match, but a Beckerman kill, a block by Farley and Jamie Mellies (Henderson, Nev.), and a kill by Jaeckel kept Seattle U in the match, and back-to-back attack errors by the Beavers forced the deciding set.
Two more Oregon State attack errors gave the Redhawks the early lead in the fifth set, but the Beavers settled down, going on a 5-1 run to take the lead, 12-8. A kill by Jaeckel and a block from Farley and Beckerman brought Seattle U within two at 12-10, but Oregon State won the final three points, punctuated by a block assist and a kill from Sawatzky, to salvage the victory.
"This was a tough night. We played a good team close. We will just keep fighting, and we will stay focused on getting better," Seattle U head coach Shannon Ellis said.
Mellies distributed 50 assists, plus she earned a service ace, nine digs, and four total blocks. Emily Deleissegues (Aromas, Calif.) led the team with 14 digs plus earned four assists, while Lani Beadle (Seattle, Wash.) came off the bench and contributed two service aces and three defensive digs.
For Oregon State, Sawatzky led all players with 26 kills, plus she collected five assists, two service aces, nine digs, and three block assists. Megan McBride continually changed up her game, finishing with 50 assists, 10 kills, and a .474 hitting percentage. Seattle native Eneliko, playing in front of numerous supporters, finished with nine kills, a .571 hitting percentage, and eight block assists, and libero Becky Defoe led the Beavers with 14 digs.
In total, there were 55 ties and 21 lead changes throughout the contest. Seattle U has gone to five sets in four of its last five matches and in six matches already this season, including against unbeaten Utah State and nationally-ranked Oregon.
Seattle University (4-7) leaves Thursday for Spokane, Wash., and will begin the Gonzaga Tournament Friday, Sept. 17, with a match against Idaho at 4:30 p.m. The Redhawks will face the host Bulldogs and Wyoming Saturday, Sept. 18, before welcoming Portland to the Connolly Center next Tuesday, Sept. 21, for a 7 p.m. contest.