After winning the first two sets, Seattle University seemed destined to be forced into a fifth and deciding set by the Idaho Vandals, but the Redhawks rallied in the fourth set to earn a 3-1 victory (25-12, 25-21, 18-25, 25-20) Friday night in a Western Athletic Conference volleyball match at the Connolly Center.
After Idaho won the third set, the Vandals took the early lead in the fourth set, extending their lead to as much as seven points at 16-9 on a kill by Katelyn Peterson. Down 18-12, the Redhawks regained the serve on a kill by Allison Farley (Happy Valley, Ore.) and proceeded to score nine more points in a row, led by three kills from Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia) and two kills by Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.). Back-to-back kills by Farley and Ivanis set up match point, and the Redhawks would win on a Vandal service error.
“We knew that we did not want to go to five sets, so by going on the run that we did, it gave us the energy that we needed to finish out the match,” Farley said.
The Redhawks went on a 7-1 run to open a 10-4 lead in the opening set, led by two kills and a block assist from Alec Goodrie (Springfield, Ore.). Seattle U would close out the first set by outscoring Idaho 11-4, with Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia) leading the way with five kills in that final stretch and Farley closing out the first set with a block assist and a kill.
Seattle U would slowly pull out to an 18-10 advantage in the second set, with Samadan collecting four kills before the media timeout. Idaho fought back, going on an 8-2 scoring run thanks in part to three kills by Peterson to close its deficit to two points at 22-20. Matea Mamic (Split, Croatia) clinched the set for the Redhawks with consecutive kills, putting the home team ahead, two sets to zero.
Idaho (10-8, 3-3 WAC) scored five of the first six points of the third set and maintained that advantage throughout the set. Ali Forde led the Vandals with five kills and two total blocks in the set as Idaho extended its lead to eight. Ivanis earned two kills and a solo block late in the set, but a Redhawk attack error finished the set in Idaho’s favor, extending the match.
“Tonight was a big win, as we came out well and won the first two sets. We struggled in the third set and fell behind in the fourth set, and I challenged the girls. The thing I am most excited about is Allison and Lani, our two seniors, told the team that we were going to win, and they went out there and changed the game,” Seattle U head coach James Finley said. “It was exciting to see that kind of leadership from our seniors.”
Ivanis finished with a season-high 21 kills, while Samadan finished with 12 kills on 20 attack attempts without an error for a .600 hitting percentage. Farley earned 10 kills, half of them in the fourth set alone, while Lani Beadle (Seattle, Wash.) picked up nine of her match-high 23 digs in the fourth set to go along with six assists. Mamic contributed seven kills and 15 digs, and Lane collected 43 assists, six kills, and seven digs.
Peterson and Forde led the Vandals with 12 kills apiece, while Alyssa Schultz contributed six kills, two service aces, and four block assists. Setter Meredith Coba notched a double-double with 35 assists and 10 digs, and libero Jenna Ellis led Idaho with 13 defensive digs.
Seattle University (7-14, 4-2 WAC) continues its four-match homestand Monday, Oct. 14, against Grand Canyon starting at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center. Live stats and live video for the match will be available on GoSeattleU.com.