Sarah Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.), named to the All-Tournament Team, finished the day with a team-high 11 kills as well as five digs, while Karli Pedone (Granite Bay, Calif.) earned the first start of her career and responded with nine kills. Alec Goodrie (Springfield, Ore.) also collected nine kills along with a service ace, five digs, and two total blocks. Megan Augustavo (Shoreline, Wash.) dished out 30 assists and tied Lani Beadle (Seattle, Wash.) for the team lead in digs with seven apiece.
"We didn't win today, but we played better," head coach Shannon Ellis said. "We passed well and we were in system most of the match. The key is to improve every day."
Oregon State (5-2) took control of the first set with five unanswered points for a 7-3 lead, and then rattled off another 5-0 run later in the set to extend the advantage to 19-8, thanks in part to two blocks and a kill from Arica Nassar. Nassar earned two more solo blocks as well as a kill as Oregon State closed out the set with a 6-1 scoring run.
Seattle U started the second set on a positive note, taking a 4-2 lead thanks to two kills from Jaeckel and one kill by Jordan Keller (Mukilteo, Wash.). Oregon State responded, going on a 7-1 scoring run to pull ahead, 15-10. The Beavers finished off the second set with kills by Nassar and Dre Shaw as well as forcing a Redhawk attack error.
Kills by Nassar and Shaw as well as a solo block from Tayla Woods allowed Oregon State to take an early 5-3 lead in the third set. Back-to-back kills by Jaeckel pulled Seattle U to within one at 10-9, but Nassar responded with consecutive kills of her own to keep the Beavers in front. Two kills from Jaeckel as well as one kill by Goodrie cut the Redhawk deficit to three at 23-20, but Oregon State closed out the match with a kill by Laura Schaudt and a Seattle U attack error.
Nassar finished the match with 15 kills in 20 attempts without an error for a .750 hitting percentage, plus she collected six total blocks. Shaw, the MVP of the Active Ankle Challenge, contributed 11 kills and six defensive digs, Woods notched 36 assists, and Becky Defoe led all players with 14 digs.
Seattle University (1-7) finishes the week-long road trip through Oregon Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Portland beginning at 6 p.m. The Redhawks return to Seattle and face #5 Washington at Alaska Airlines Arena Thursday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. before welcoming Fresno State to the Connolly Center North Court Saturday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.