ROAD TRIP: Seattle University hits the road for the first time in Western Athletic Conference play this weekend, leaving Wednesday for Logan, Utah, and Thursday's match with current conference co-leader Utah State. The Redhawks will then head to San Jose, Calif., to face the Spartans of San Jose State Saturday night. Seattle U has played three straight five-set matches, winning two of them. The Redhawks are still looking for their first true road victory of the 2012 season.
LIVE STATS/VIDEO: Live stats will be available for both matches over the weekend, with live video also offered for a fee during Thursday's match at Utah State. Links to all online offerings are available from the volleyball schedule page on GoSeattleU.com.
LAST WEEK: Fans who came to the Connolly Center last week saw the maximum amount of volleyball possible, as all three matches went the full five sets. First on Tuesday, Sept. 11, in a match that featured 31 ties and 12 lead changes, Seattle U came back from a 2-1 match deficit to defeat Boise State, 3-2. Kaytlyn Dill posted the third-highest single-match kill total in program history, finishing with 27 kills, plus she earned four service aces, 13 digs, and three total blocks. Karina Miastkowska and Karli Pedone each established career highs with 18 kills apiece, Jacquie Brice dished out 61 assists, and Lani Beadle earned 24 digs. Thursday night, New Mexico State came to town for Seattle U's first-ever Western Athletic Conference match, but the Redhawks started out on fire, winning the first two sets. The Aggies settled down after the intermission, winning the final three sets to pull out a 3-2 victory. Dill once again led the Redhawks with 17 kills, plus she tied the school record for most service aces in a single match with eight. Allison Farley finished with 16 kills and eight total blocks, while Beadle and McKenzie Daniels each finished with 21 digs. Seattle U fell behind Denver Saturday night, 2-1, but for the third time this season, the Redhawks came back for a 3-2 victory. Sarah Jaeckel led the offense with 14 kills, while Miastkowska led the comeback, with nine of her 10 kills coming in the final two sets. Brice notched her second double-double of the season with 40 assists and 12 digs, and Dill finished with eight kills, three service aces, and 15 digs.
WAC TEAM STATS: Seattle University leads the Western Athletic Conference in both all matches (1.38) and in WAC matches only (2.30) in service aces per set. In WAC matches only, the Redhawks are third in the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.159) and seventh in digs per set (14.00). Seattle U is either ninth or 10th in the league in all other categories.
WAC INDIVIDUAL STATS: Kaytlyn Dill leads the WAC and is 10th in Division I in service aces per set, averaging 0.56 aces per set in all matches. She also leads the conference in service aces per set in WAC matches only with 1.10. In all matches, Dill is fourth in the league in kills per set (3.20) and in points per set (4.02). Setter Jacquie Brice is fifth in the WAC in assists per set (9.17), Sarah Jaeckel is 10th in the league in kills per set (2.89), and Lani Beadle is 10th in the WAC in digs per set (3.15). In WAC matches only, Allison Farley is second in hitting percentage (.447) and ninth in blocks per set (1.10), Brice is seventh in assists per set (8.90), Kelly Biette is tied for seventh in service aces per set (0.40), Dill is ninth in points per set (3.80), and Beadle is 10th in the WAC in digs per set (3.90).
SEATTLE U RECORD BOOK: Kaytlyn Dill tied the school record for most service aces in a single match Sept. 13 against New Mexico State with eight aces. She also posted the third-highest kill total in a single match Sept. 11 against Boise State with 27 kills. For her career, Dill is sixth in both kills (924) and in service aces (98). Jacquie Brice is seventh on the all-time list for career assists with 588, buoyed by her 61-assist performance against Boise State Sept. 11, tied for sixth-best in a single match in school history. Allison Farley is ninth all-time with 179 blocks.
SCOUTING UTAH STATE: The Aggies come into Thursday's match with a 7-4 overall record. Utah State is tied for the WAC lead with a 2-0 record after road victories at UTSA and at Texas State last weekend. The Aggies are 3-1 at home, with the only loss being a five-set defeat at the hands of Pac-12 school Utah. As a team, Utah State is hitting .213 and is averaging 12.32 kills, 1.22 service aces, 13.22 digs, and 3.04 blocks per set. Rachel Orr leads the team with 121 kills, followed by Shay Sorensen, the reigning WAC Player of the Week, with 118 kills. Paige Neves is the team's setter, averaging 9.68 assists per set. Ashlan Rogers leads the team in both service aces (18) and defensive digs (157), and Elle Brainard leads the team with 65 total blocks.
SEATTLE U VS. UTAH STATE: Seattle University and Utah State have met one time previously. On Sept. 3, 2010, at the Arizona State Sheraton Classic in Tempe, Ariz., Seattle U nearly came back from a 2-0 deficit, but Utah State won the fifth set, 15-11, to hang on for a 3-2 victory. Cristin Richards led the Redhawks with 19 kills, two service aces, and 12 digs, while Sarah Jaeckel contributed 17 kills in the match. Liz McArthur led the Aggies with 22 kills during the contest.
SCOUTING SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans enter the weekend with a 4-7 overall record, including an 0-2 record within the WAC after losing at Texas State and at UTSA last weekend. These will be the first matches San Jose State plays at home this season and the first time the Spartans will compete within the Pacific Time Zone in 2012. As a team, the Spartans are hitting .188 and are averaging 13.49 kills, 1.23 service aces, 18.26 defensive digs, and 2.08 blocks per set. Mary Alice O'Reilly leads the team with 128 kills and 45 total blocks. Michaela Leonard has been the team's setter so far this season, averaging 11.33 assists per set. Alex Akana leads the team with 11 service aces and is second on the squad with 37 total blccks. Hanah Blume is third on the team in kills (115) and first in digs (184), with Kiely Pieper close behind her with 172 digs.
SEATTLE U VS. SAN JOSE STATE: The Redhawks and the Spartans have split the two previous meetings, with each team winning on its home floor. On August 29, 2009, Seattle U defeated San Jose State at the Connolly Center, 3-1. Cristin Richards led Seattle U with 11 kills, while Jordan Keller finished with 10 kills and seven total blocks. San Jose State earned a measure of revenge Sept. 11, 2010, with a 3-2 victory over Seattle U at Spartan Gym. Richards led the Redhawks with 16 kills, three aces, and 17 digs, with Sarah Jaeckel contributing 15 kills, two service aces, and seven digs. Alex Akana led the Spartans with 14 kills and five service aces.
COACHING RECORD CLARIFICATION: With Shannon Ellis currently on maternity leave, all wins and losses are being added to the coaching record of Teron Uy. Ellis's coaching record is 95-112, while Uy's current record as a head coach is 10-21.
IN A NEUTRAL PLACE: Senior Kelly Biette will not be with the volleyball team this weekend, as she is currently in Switzerland giving an academic presentation related to her studies as a biochemistry major.