THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ‘ROUND: With classes still one week away from starting, the Seattle University volleyball team hopped on the bus Monday morning and started its trek east. The team’s first stop will be Cheney, Wash., where the Redhawks will face in-state rival Eastern Washington Tuesday evening. The road trip continues to Missoula, Mont., where Seattle U will play on back-to-back nights, first taking on the host Montana Grizzlies Thursday night before a neutral-site contest against Gonzaga Friday night. The team is hoping that the long return trip Saturday will be a pleasant one, but that will depend on how well the team plays as it looks to snap a four-match losing streak.
THE INVITATIONAL IN SEATTLE: Seattle University struggled over the weekend, losing all three matches it competed in during the Invitational in Seattle. Against tournament co-host and fifth-ranked Washington Thursday night, the Redhawks played a strong first set, hitting .333 in losing the opening set, 25-20. However, the team encountered issues in the second set, scoring only seven points. Seattle U recovered during the first half of the third set, trailing only 14-13 before the Huskies put the match away by winning 11 of the final 12 points of the set. Friday afternoon, Seattle U struggled in the first two sets against UNLV before competing with the Rebels in the third set, but UNLV would hold off the Redhawks to complete the sweep (25-16, 25-18, 27-25). Saturday night, Seattle U had its chances to take each of the first two sets against UC Davis, but the Aggies made the crucial plays and then pulled away in the third set for a 3-0 win (25-23, 25-23, 25-14). Sophomore Matea Mamic was named to the All-Tournament Team after totaling 28 kills in the three matches.
REDHAWK SPORTS PASS: For just $50, the Redhawk Sports Pass will serve as a general admission ticket for volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball, and baseball. Visit the ticket page on GoSeattleU.com or call 206-398-GOSU (4678) for more information.
ACCESS TO THIS WEEKEND’S MATCHES: Links to live video and live stats of Tuesday’s match at Eastern Washington will be available on the volleyball schedule page of GoSeattleU.com. Both live stats and live video will also be available online for Thursday’s match at Montana, but only live stats will be available Friday night when Seattle U faces Gonzaga in Montana.
SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON: The Eagles come into Tuesday’s match with a 4-5 overall record after losing to Portland, Missouri, and Boise State over the weekend. Three of Eastern Washington’s four victories have gone five sets, including rallies from 2-0 down against both North Carolina State and High Point. As a team, the Eagles have combined for a .221 hitting percentage and are averaging 12.57 kills, 1.30 service aces, 12.54 digs, and 1.73 blocks per set. Allie Schumacher leads the team with 100 kills, followed by Kelsey Julian with 99 kills to go along with 17 total blocks. The setting duties have been split between Nicole Rigoni (227 assists) and Sophie Miller (144 assists), with Rigoni joining Ashlee Vaoifi in the team lead in service aces with eight apiece. Defensively, Kellen Barfield leads the team at the net with 31 total blocks, and Melissa Waelter leads the way in the back with 78 digs.
SEATTLE U VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON: This will be the seventh meeting all-time between Seattle U and Eastern Washington, with the Redhawks holding a 4-2 series lead over the Eagles. Eastern Washington won the first meeting in Cheney Oct. 21, 2008, in three sets (25-19, 25-14, 25-22). On Aug. 28, 2010, at the Connolly Center, Seattle U came back from being down two sets to one to defeat the Eagles, winning the fifth set 15-13. Later that same season, Seattle U swept Eastern Washington in Cheney, and then did the same thing to the Eagles in Seattle to start the 2011 campaign. The Redhawks defeated the Eagles in four sets at Wyoming’s tournament at the start of the 2012 season, but Eastern Washington snapped its four-match losing streak against Seattle U with a 3-0 victory last season.
SCOUTING MONTANA: The Grizzlies are still looking for their first victory of the 2014 season, bringing a 0-10 record into Thursday’s match against the Redhawks. Montana has gone to five sets three times this season, losing to Ball State, South Alabama, and Kent State in a deciding set. As a team, the Grizzlies have compiled a .152 hitting percentage and are averaging 9.79 kills, 0.97 service aces, 11.89 digs, and 2.26 blocks per set. Michelle Robinson leads the team with 94 kills and nine service aces, plus she has collected 63 digs and 24 total blocks. The setting duties have been split between Kelsey Schile (140 assists) and Raegan Lindsey (113 assists), with Jace Henderson (46 assists) also seeing time in the role. Defensively, Capri Richardson leads the team at the net with 39 total blocks, and Taylor Schile is the team leader with 129 defensive digs so far this season. This will be the first meeting all-time between Seattle U and Montana on the volleyball court.
SCOUTING GONZAGA: The Bulldogs have gotten off to a strong start in 2014, bringing a 7-2 record into Friday’s match against Seattle U. Both Gonzaga losses came in five-set matches to nationally-ranked Washington during the first weekend of the season and against Furman this past weekend. As a team, Gonzaga has put together a .286 hitting percentage and is averaging 14.81 kills, 1.22 service aces, 12.50 digs, and 2.21 blocks per set. Savannah Blinn leads the Bulldogs with 166 kills, averaging 4.61 kills per set, plus she is second on the team with a .351 hitting percentage and 25 total blocks. Lauren Joseph has been steady as Gonzaga’s setter this season, collecting 380 assists (10.56 assists per set). Paige Folger leads the Bulldogs at the net with 38 total blocks, and Morgan Douglass paces the team in the back with 81 defensive digs.
SEATTLE U VS. GONZAGA: The two NCAA Division I Jesuit schools based in Washington have met four times previously on the volleyball court, splitting those matches. Gonzaga won the first meeting in three sets in Spokane Oct. 22, 2008. Seattle U won a five-set thriller at Gonzaga’s tournament Sept. 18, 2010, winning the fifth set 15-7. The two teams went five sets again Sept. 14, 2011, at the Connolly Center, with the Redhawks again prevailing, 15-12 in the deciding set. Last season, Seattle U returned to Spokane for Gonzaga’s tournament, but the Bulldogs earned a 3-0 victory (25-15, 25-22, 25-17).