In a match similar to the first meeting between the two teams 12 nights ago, Seattle University came back from dropping a close first set to defeat Grand Canyon, 3-1 (31-33, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21), Monday night in a Western Athletic Conference volleyball match at the Connolly Center.
Grand Canyon (7-11, 1-5 WAC) took an early 7-4 lead in the opening set thanks in part to three kills by Megan Davis, but the Redhawks answered with four straight points, led by Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia) and Allison Farley (Happy Valley, Ore.) with a kill and a block assist each. The Antelopes would go on a 7-2 run to pull ahead by five points, and a kill by Kristen Johannsen later in the set would give the visitors a chance to win the set at 24-21.
A kill from Sarah Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) and a block by Farley and Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.) held off the Antelopes, and kills by Farley and Ivanis would extend the set further. Seattle U had four chances to win the set that were turned aside by Grand Canyon, and the Antelopes would finally clinch the first set thanks to two block assists from Davis and a kill by Britta Forsythe.
Seattle U responded at the start of the second set, winning six of the first seven points thanks in part to three kills from Ivanis. Three kills from Davis brought Grand Canyon to within three, but Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia) picked up two kills and teamed with Alec Goodrie (Springfield, Ore.) on two blocks to reestablish a comfortable lead for the Redhawks. Seattle U would clinch the set and tie the match on a kill by Ivanis.
Samadan would earn a kill and a block assist to help Seattle U pull out to a 9-4 lead in the third set, and two kills from Farley as well as a Samadan service ace helped the Redhawks take their biggest lead of the set at 13-5. Back-to-back service aces from Davis closed the Antelope deficit, but Seattle U maintained a decent lead the rest of the set, winning the third set on a Grand Canyon attack error.
The Redhawks won the first three points of the fourth set, but Grand Canyon took the next four points, including consecutive service aces by Shannon Dugan. Seattle U went back on top thanks to two kills and a block assist by Ivanis, but Grand Canyon rallied again, taking a 12-11 lead on a kill by Hannah Hankins. A 7-2 scoring run put the Redhawks ahead for good, and Seattle U would clinch the set and the match thanks in part to three kills by Jaeckel down the stretch.
“It was a great team effort tonight, especially defensively with five players finishing in double digits in digs,” Seattle U head coach James Finley said. “Martina and Iris were unstoppable tonight, and we got a great performance from Sarah with a double-double and some key kills late in the match to help us complete the victory.”
Ivanis notched her fourth double-double of the season with 19 kills and 11 digs, plus she made only one attack error in hitting .450 for the match. Samadan also earned 19 kills and led the Redhawks with six total blocks, while Jaeckel also picked up a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs.
Farley contributed 11 kills and four block assists, and Lane dished out 60 assists to go along with four kills and 11 digs for her first career double-double. The backline defense was led by Lani Beadle (Seattle, Wash.) with 15 digs, with McKenzie Daniels (Edmonds, Wash.) adding 12 digs to the winning effort.
Davis led the Antelopes with 16 kills and three service aces, plus she collected 14 defensive digs, just one behind the team-high 15 digs earned by libero Mackenzie Phelps. Johannsen and Dugan finished with 10 kills apiece, and Jessica Posse earned her own double-double with 26 assists and 12 digs as she split the setting duties with Marilyn Agae, who accumulated 20 assists and five digs.
Seattle University (8-14, 5-2 WAC), tied for second place in the league standings, remains home next weekend, facing Chicago State Thursday, Oct. 17, and Kansas City Saturday, Oct. 19, with both matches starting at 7 p.m. at the Connolly Center.