UP AND DOWN: Seattle University will travel up and down (technically, down and up) the West Coast for its next two matches. First, a quick trip south to face the San Diego State Aztecs Friday night. After the return flight up the coast Saturday, the team will welcome Montana State for a Sunday afternoon contest. After the match, seniors Janet Beckerman, Emily Deleissegues, and Jamie Mellies will be honored in Senior Day ceremonies. Seattle U has posted convincing victories in two of its last three matches and hopes to continue the positive momentum from those matches against the Aztecs and the Bobcats.
LAST WEEK: The Redhawks could not maintain the momentum from its victory at Eastern Washington, as Portland State controlled the match on its way to a 3-0 victory (25-13, 25-20, 25-13) last Thursday night at the Stott Center. Cristin Richards led the way with nine kills, including the 1,000th kill of her collegiate career. Seattle U was able to quickly recover, dominating Idaho State in a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-13, 25-20) Saturday night at the Connolly Center. Richards posted the third-highest hitting percentage in a single match in school history, hitting .615 with 17 kills and only one attack error in 26 attempts. Janet Beckerman finished with eight kills, a .353 hitting percentage, and three block assists, while Jordan Keller once again led the team at the net with eight total blocks. Jamie Mellies collected 34 assists and nine digs, and Emily Deleissegues moved into second place on the school's all-time digs list with 12 defensive digs.
THE SENIORS: Even though there will still be 10 or 11 more matches for Seattle U after Sunday's contest, including the Independent Tournament at the Connolly Center, it was decided that Senior Day would take place now to avoid any potential conflicts with the Independent Tournament. Janet Beckerman has appeared in 91 matches coming into the weekend, collecting 489 career kills along with 222 total blocks. She has already reached a personal career high for kills in a single season this year with 173 kills, averaging 2.25 kills per set. Beckerman collected a career-high 16 kills in the five-set match against nationally-ranked Oregon earlier this season. Emily Deleissegues comes into Friday's match at San Diego State having appeared in 87 matches so far during her career. She moved into second place on the school's all-time digs list last Saturday and currently has 1,184 career digs, including a team-high 266 digs this season. She also has notched 108 assists and 27 service aces. Jamie Mellies became the starting setter in the second match of her freshman year and has maintained that spot since. She brings 3,689 career assists into the weekend, just 216 assists away from setting the new school career mark in that category. She also appears in the top ten lists for career service aces (6th - 86), career digs (9th - 856), and career total blocks (4th - 238). The ceremony to honor these seniors will take place after Sunday's match against Montana State.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE: The Aztecs come into Friday's match with an 8-10 overall record, including a 3-3 record in Mountain West play. After winning five of its first six matches, San Diego State has lost 9 of its last 12 contests. Kyley Sexton leads the team in kills with 201, plus she is second on the squad with 11 service aces. Johnna Fouch currently has 703 assists, averaging 10.34 assists per set, plus she is second on the team with 158 digs. Defensively, Andrea Hannasch leads the way at the net with 88 total blocks, and Kristi Jackels paces the team in the back with 242 defensive digs.
SCOUTING MONTANA STATE: The Bobcats come into the weekend with a 9-10 overall record, including a 2-5 record in Big Sky conference action. Montana State will host Sacramento State Friday night before taking the trip to Seattle for Sunday's contest. Rachelle Allen leads the team with 226 kills and is second on the squad with 216 digs. The setting duties have been split between Mackenzie Campbell (329 assists) and Jennifer Lundquist (300 assists). Nicole Baker leads the team with 28 service aces, Alex Penewell is the team leader in total blocks with 51, and Meghan Albiston leads the way with 287 defensive digs.
ALL-TIME VS. SAN DIEGO STATE: San Diego State has won both meetings over Seattle University. On Aug. 28, 2009, during the Invitational at Seattle, the Aztecs won all three sets with identical 25-19 scores. Cristin Richards led Seattle U with 11 kills, while Jamie Mellies and Kelly Biette earned five total blocks apiece. Andrea Hannasch led the Aztecs with 12 kills and a .625 hitting percentage. Earlier this season, the two teams faced off at the ASU Sheraton Classic in Tempe, Ariz., with the Aztecs again coming out on top, 3-0 (25-21, 25-18, 25-18). Julia Bonadio led the way for the Redhawks with 11 kills and a .526 hitting percentage, while Lauren Salisbury had 14 kills and a .609 hitting percentage for San Diego State.
ALL-TIME VS. MONTANA STATE: These two teams met for the first time on Oct. 26, 2009, in Bozeman, Mont., with Seattle U coming back from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the Bobcats, 3-2 (24-26, 25-22, 12-25, 25-22, 15-13). Cristin Richards led all players with 19 kills, and Jamie Mellies notched a double-double with 47 assists and 17 digs, the same number of digs collected by Emily Deleissegues. Nicole Grypiuk led the Bobcats with 13 kills, while Kylie Edinger had 12 kills and nine block assists and Taylar Barney contributed 12 kills, two service aces, 11 digs, and five total blocks.