In the first home match of the 2012 season, the Seattle University volleyball team stayed close, but could not keep up with the offense of Long Beach State, as the 49ers earned a 3-0 victory (25-17, 25-16, 25-23) Saturday night at the Connolly Center.
Karina Miastkowska (Northbrook, Ill.) led the Redhawk offense with 11 kills, while Kaytlyn Dill (Bothell, Wash.) finished with eight kills, 12 digs, and four total blocks. Junior Karli Pedone (Granite Bay, Calif.) made a significant contribution off the bench, collecting six kills, two service aces, and six defensive digs. Jacquie Brice (Fullerton, Calif.) dished out 30 assists to go along with two kills and six digs, and libero Lani Beadle (Seattle, Wash.) added 11 digs to the effort.
"It was good to see us make steady progress from set to set," Seattle U acting head coach Teron Uy said. "I was pleased to see Karli play well off the bench. The team's goal is to make continuing improvement leading to the first conference match next week."
A kill by Sarah Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) put the Redhawks ahead in the first set, 5-2, before the 49ers scored five unanswered points, the last two on consecutive service aces from Chelsea Cabrajac. The two teams were tied three more times in the first set before Long Beach State took the lead with a 5-1 scoring run. The Redhawks pulled to within in at 15-14, but back-to-back blocks by Tara Roenicke and Chisom Okpala helped the 49ers close out the set with five straight points.
Long Beach State (3-5) took the lead early in the second set on a kill by Bre Mackie and never relinquished it, going on an 8-1 scoring run to open up an 18-10 advantage. Two kills by Delainey Aigner-Swesey and two kills by Okpala helped the 49ers close out the second set by scoring four of the final five points.
Kills by Pedone and Brice early in the third set helped the Redhawks open a 7-5 lead before the 49ers responded with a 7-1 scoring run, including three kills by Aigner-Swesey. After Seattle U recovered and pulled into a 13-13 tie, Long Beach State put together a 6-1 scoring run, punctuated by a block assist and a kill from Tiara Wallace. Down by five late in the set, the Redhawks rallied, as two kills from Miastkowska and one from Dill cut the 49er lead to one at 24-23, but a block by Okpala and Mackie clinched the set and the match for the visitors.
Okpala made only one attack error while collecting 12 kills in 21 attempts for a .524 hitting percentage, plus she led the 49ers with seven total blocks. Alex Reid contributed 11 kills, and Aigner -Swesey finished with eight kills and seven digs. Roenicke collected 33 assists to go along with three kills, six digs, and two total blocks, and libero Tyler Jackson led all players with 16 defensive digs.
Seattle University (4-5) continues the four-match homestand Tuesday, Sept. 11, welcoming Boise State to the Connolly Center for a 7 p.m. start. That will be the final non-conference match of the season for the Redhawks, as they begin their first year in the Western Athletic Conference with contests against New Mexico State (Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.) and Denver (Sept. 15 at 6 p.m.).