Back on its home court, the Seattle University volleyball team received a solid effort in all facets of the game, sweeping Texas-Pan American 3-0 (25-19, 27-25, 25-22) in the opening home match of the Redhawks’ Western Athletic Conference schedule Thursday evening at the Connolly Center.
Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia) led Seattle U with 15 kills, posting a .407 hitting percentage, plus she earned eight digs and three total blocks. Stephanie Stoll (Bellevue, Wash.) earned seven kills to go along with a team-high .462 hitting percentage and eight block assists, while Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia), Jelena Vujcin (Becej, Serbia), and Matea Mamic (Split, Croatia) finished with five kills apiece, plus they combined for five service aces and nine block assists.
“Getting a win at home is always great. They (UTPA) pushed back and fought us hard tonight, so it was important for us to close this match out in three sets,” Seattle U head coach James Finley said. “We produced some good numbers, but we made a few too many errors, keeping them in the match. We served tough and blocked well tonight. I am happy with the progress we are making.”
Seattle U rattled off three straight points early in the first set to take a 7-4 lead, and it never relinquished that advantage the rest of the set. The Redhawks scored six unanswered points, starting with consecutive kills by Ivanis, to extend their lead to 15-8. UTPA’s Haley Durham earned a kill to close the Redhawk lead to two at 19-17, but Seattle U closed out the opening set with a 6-2 scoring run.
After the two teams exchanged the first 12 points of the second set, Seattle U used a 6-2 scoring run to take a 12-8 lead, with Stoll earning two kills and a block assist. Still down by four later in the set, the Broncs outscored the Redhawks 8-3, led by two kills apiece from Durham and Alisha Watson, to pull ahead, 20-19.
Watson earned kills late in the set to give UTPA two chances at winning the set, but kills by Mamic and Ivanis extended the second set. Seattle U finally prevailed on a service ace by Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.), who finished the match with 36 assists, four kills, two service aces, four digs, and three block assists.
Ivanis notched a kill and a service ace early in the third set, and Samadan followed with two service aces to help the Redhawks open a 10-3 lead. Two block assists and a kill by Stoll helped Seattle U establish a nine-point advantage at 15-6, but UTPA fought back, going on an 8-1 scoring run, led by Watson with two service aces, a kill, and an assist to close its deficit to one at 19-18. Samadan earned a kill and a service ace to stop the Bronc rally, and Stoll finished off the set and the match with a kill and a block assist.
UTPA (3-13, 1-2 WAC) was led by Watson with 10 kills, a .471 hitting percentage, and three service aces, while Durham contributed eight kills. The Broncs were held to a .129 hitting percentage and collected only four team blocks, while the Redhawks finished with a .293 hitting percentage, nine service aces, and 12 team blocks.
Seattle University (5-10, 1-1 WAC) welcomes current conference leader New Mexico State (9-5, 3-0 WAC) to the Connolly Center for an afternoon contest this Saturday, Oct. 4, starting at 1 p.m. The Aggies overcame a 2-1 match deficit to defeat Utah Valley in five sets Thursday night. Saturday is Jersey Day at the Connolly Center, with any child age 12 and under wearing a youth jersey receiving free admission to the volleyball match.