KANSAS CITY, THEN SECOND CITY: The Seattle University volleyball team ends the 2013 regular season with road matches at UMKC Thursday and at Chicago State Saturday. The Redhawks have already clinched their spot in the WAC Volleyball Tournament and doubled their conference win total from last season, but two victories will help the team build momentum leading into the postseason tournament. Seattle U already knows that it will have to play a first-round match Monday, Nov. 25, but there is still a lot to play for in its final weekend of regular season competition.
SCOUTING KANSAS CITY: The Kangaroos are tied with Seattle U for fifth place in the WAC standings with an 8-6 league mark, part of a 14-12 overall record. Kansas City lost to New Mexico State and defeated Texas-Pan American last weekend, both by 3-1 counts. Sydney Crimmins leads the Kangaroos with 265 kills, is second with 104 total blocks, and is third with 262 digs. Jessica Hendin has collected 242 kills and 268 digs, second on the team in both categories. The setting duties have been split between Kaylyn Brandt (553 assists) and Nicole Wemhoff (474 assists), with Hendin leading the team with 19 service aces. Defensively, Emma Hagedorn leads the team in blocks with 133, and Taryn Miller is the team leader in digs with 472.
FIRST MEETING: Seattle University once again received contributions from several different players as the Redhawks completed a perfect four-match homestand with a 3-0 victory (25-14, 29-27, 27-25) over Kansas City in Western Athletic Conference action at the Connolly Center Saturday, Oct. 19. Sarah Jaeckel led the Redhawks with 14 kills and two service aces, while Samadan contributed 12 kills, two service aces, four digs, and seven total blocks. Iris Ivanis notched her fifth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 10 digs, while Allison Farley added six kills and five total blocks to the winning effort. Kerry Lane collected 38 assists, two kills, and eight digs, and Lani Beadle ended up with 14 digs and seven assists.
SCOUTING CHICAGO STATE: The Cougars enter the weekend with a 2-27 overall record, including an 0-14 record in the WAC. Chicago State will host Idaho Thursday before facing the Redhawks Saturday. Paula Sioto leads the Cougars with 357 kills, followed by Valeria Desiderio with 238 kills and Rachel Levitt with 224 kills. Mackenzie Lotter has been the team’s setter throughout the season, collecting 886 assists so far this year. Julia Menhart is the team leader in service aces with 27 and in digs with 293 digs. At the net, Chinwendu Ngwadom leads the way in total blocks with 66, including 15 solo blocks.
FIRST MEETING: In another hard-fought Western Athletic Conference volleyball match, Seattle University rebounded from losing the first set to take the next two sets, and then rallied late in the fourth set to defeat Chicago State, 3-1 (21-25, 25-18, 25-13, 26-24), Oct. 17 at the Connolly Center. Martina Samadan led the Redhawk offense with 16 kills and a .600 hitting percentage along with four service aces, while Sarah Jaeckel and Iris Ivanis finished with 12 kills apiece. Kerry Lane dished out 50 assists, and Lani Beadle once again led the Seattle U defense, this time with 17 defensive digs. For Chicago State, Paula Sioto finished with 17 kills, two service aces, and three block assists, while Valeria Desiderio contributed 12 kills and five digs.