THE COMFORTS OF HOME: Seattle University begins the season half of the conference season the same way it began the first half: two home matches. The Redhawks welcome San Jose State and Utah State to the Pacific Northwest for important league matches this weekend. Seattle U played both squads to five sets on the road earlier this season and will be looking for victories to move up in the league standings. After this weekend, five of Seattle U's last seven matches are on the road, including three in the span of five days next weekend.
LIVE STATS/VIDEO: Live stats and live video will be available for both matches. Links to all online offerings are available from the volleyball schedule page on GoSeattleU.com.
LAST WEEKEND: Seattle University started the weekend by snapping a five-match losing streak, coming back from a 2-1 match deficit for the fourth time this season to defeat Louisiana Tech, 3-2 (25-18, 19-25, 17-25, 25-21, 15-10), in Ruston, La. Kaytlyn Dill notched her sixth straight double-double with 24 kills and 15 digs, with Karli Pedone contributing 11 kills for the Redhawks. Jacquie Brice collected 45 assists and nine digs, and Lani Beadle led Seattle U with 26 defensive digs. The Redhawks could not maintain the momentum, losing at UT Arlington last Saturday, 3-0 (25-11, 25-20, 25-19). Sarah Jaeckel led the Redhawks with 13 kills as Kaytlyn Dill saw her six-match consecutive double-double streak come to an end. The Mavericks made only 12 errors (eight attack errors, four reception errors) in picking up the sweep.
DIG PINK: On Thursday, Seattle U volleyball will hold their Dig Pink match as they host San Jose State at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center. A percentage of proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the fight against breast cancer. A raffle will be held for two gift certificates from Jolie Nail Spa, a gift certificate from University Market and Deli, a gift bag from High Five Pie, a pair of men's basketball season tickets, and a pair of women's basketball season tickets. Silent auction items will include a signed pink volleyball, among other great prizes. All popcorn sales from the match will also be donated to the cause.
SCOUTING SAN JOSE STATE: The Spartans enter Thursday's match with a 9-11 overall record, including a 5-5 record within the Western Athletic Conference, good enough for a tie for fifth place in the league standings. As a team, San Jose State is hitting .191 and averaging 13.19 kills, 1.24 service aces, 16.55 digs, and 1.99 blocks per set. Mary Alice O'Reilly leads the team with 230 kills and 73 total blocks, while Samantha O'Connell has collected 202 kills and Hanah Blume has contributed 191 kills and 259 digs. Michaela Leonard leads the way with 834 assists and 19 service aces, and Kiely Pieper paces the Spartans with 272 defensive digs. San Jose State won the first meeting of the season in five sets, 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 25-22, 16-25, 15-8). O'Reilly led the Spartans with 17 kills and a .577 hitting percentage.
SCOUTING UTAH STATE: The Aggies enter the weekend with a 13-7 overall record, including a league-leading 8-2 record within the conference, currently a half-game ahead of New Mexico State and Idaho, Utah State's opponent Thursday. As a team, the Aggies are hitting .213 and averaging 12.44 kills, 1.15 service aces, 14.01 digs, and 3.11 blocks per set. Individually, Elle Brainard is second in the league in blocks per set (1.49) and sixth in the WAC in hitting percentage (.322), while Kaitlyn Van Hoff is third in blocks per set (1.39). Shay Sorensen is fifth in the league in points per set (3.79) and sixth in kills per set (3.05), and Ashlan Rogers is fourth in service aces per set (0.29) and tied for fourth in digs per set (3.80). On Sept. 20 in Logan, Utah, the Aggies won the first two sets (25-23, 27-25), but the Redhawks roared back, winning the next two sets (25-23, 25-20) to force a fifth set. Seattle U had two chances to win the match turned away, but the Redhawks thwarted Utah State's first three chances to clinch the match before the Aggies finally succeeded on the fourth attempt to win the fifth set, 20-18.