FACING THE WCC: It is well-known that the West Coast Conference is one of the leagues talked about as a potential home for Seattle University athletics. This week the volleyball team has a chance to show that it can compete with the members of the conference with three straight contests against WCC foes. Coming off a thrilling five-set victory over Gonzaga, Seattle U will host Portland before heading to the Bay Area to take on San Francisco and Santa Clara.
CARDIAC HAWKS: Last season Seattle University competed in only four matches that went five sets. This year's team has already doubled that total, playing in eight five-set matches so far in 2010. They have already matched the total of eight five-set matches from the 2008 season, the first year Seattle U competed at the Division I level. In that season, four of the team's final six matches went the distance. The record for most five-set matches in one season is 11, set in 2002. Seattle U has shown it can compete with the best, taking nationally-ranked Oregon, Pac-10 school Oregon State, and one-loss teams Utah State and Wyoming to five sets.
LAST WEEK: The week started with a home match against Oregon State. Seattle U fell behind 2-0, came back to win the next two sets, but was unable to complete the comeback as the Beavers won the fifth set, 15-10. Cristin Richards notched a season-high 23 kills, plus she earned two service aces, eight digs, and four total blocks. Janet Beckerman finished with 13 kills and six total blocks, while Sarah Jaeckel collected nine kills and nine digs and Allison Farley contributed seven kills and a team-high seven total blocks. At the Zags Volleyball Classic in Spokane, Wash., the Redhawks started the weekend with a 3-1 victory over Idaho, losing the first set before controlling the next three sets over the Vandals. Jaeckel led the way for the Redhawks with 19 kills, plus she earned 10 digs. Richards finished with 16 kills, two service aces, eight digs, and three total blocks, while Jordan Keller earned 11 kills, a .500 hitting percentage, and a team-high eight block assists. Saturday's matches followed a similar pattern, with one team winning the first two sets, the opponent coming back to win the next two sets, and the first team recovering to win the fifth set and the match. Seattle U defeated Gonzaga but lost to Wyoming to finish second in the tournament.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Senior setter Jamie Mellies and junior outside hitter Cristin Richards were named to the all-tournament team at the Zags Volleyball Classic, where Seattle U finished second with a 2-1 record. Mellies finished the weekend with 151 assists (10.8 assists/set), 27 digs, and 13 total blocks. Richards, named to an all-tournament team for the third consecutive weekend, collected 48 kills (3.4 kills/set), 29 digs, and eight block assists over the two-day classic. Richards was also named to the all-tournament teams at the ASU Sheraton Classic and the San Jose State Tournament, where she was joined by freshman Sarah Jaeckel.
SCOUTING PORTLAND: The Pilots enter Tuesday's match with a 6-8 record, with all 14 matches taking place away from home so far this season. Portland went 1-2 at UC Davis' tournament this past weekend, defeating Nevada before losing to Cal Poly and the host Aggies. Ariel Usher leads the team in total kills with 154, while Kati Hronek is tops in kills per set with 3.00. Madison Smith has dished out 445 assists so far this season, and Kate Bostwick leads the team with 12 service aces. Defensively, Marissa Plummer leads the team at the net with 35 total blocks, and Danielle Dupar paces the squad in the back with 235 defensive digs.
SCOUTING SAN FRANCISCO: The Dons will enter Saturday's match with a 1-10 record after home losses to national powers California and Stanford over the weekend. San Francisco is 0-5 so far on its home court. Joan Caloiaro leads the team with 98 kills, followed close behind by Malina Terrell with 97 kills. Caloiaro also leads the squad with 232 assists and 10 service aces, plus she is second on the team with 111 digs and third in total blocks with 18. Defensively, Whitney Swain leads the way with 149 defensive digs, while Hadley Simmons is tops at the net with 24 total blocks.
SCOUTING SANTA CLARA: The Broncos will enter Sunday's match with an 8-5 record after going 1-2 at Notre Dame's tournament. Santa Clara is 2-1 at home so far this season. Kaleigh Durket leads the team in kills with 193, plus she has 13 service aces, 115 digs, and 26 total blocks. Kayla Lommori has collected 178 kills along with a team-high 14 service aces. Emily Burke has dished out 559 assists and is tied for the team lead with 14 service aces. Defensively, Bridget O'Hara leads the team in the back with 253 defensive digs, while Dana Knudsen, who also has 160 kills, leads the team at the net with 39 total blocks.
SERIES HISTORIES: Seattle University is 0-2 against Portland, first losing in three sets (25-22, 28-26, 25-18) at the Portland State Volleyball Showcase on Sept. 12, 2008. That was followed by a 3-1 loss (25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 25-13) at the University of Portland on Sept. 30, 2009. On Sept. 27, 2008, San Francisco defeated Seattle U, 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-15) in the only meeting between those two schools. Seattle U and Santa Clara met for the first time last season at Cal Poly's tournament, with the Broncos earning a 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-22, 25-23). The Redhawks had been 0-9 against West Coast Conference opponents before last Saturday's 3-2 victory over Gonzaga.