Seattle University got off to a strong start, winning the first set and nearly rallying to take the second set, but Missouri-Kansas City fought off the Redhawk challenge and used that momentum to complete a 3-1 victory (20-25, 27-25, 25-14, 25-20) over Seattle U Thursday night in Western Athletic Conference volleyball action at the Connolly Center.
Jelena Vujcin (Becej, Croatia) started off the match with back-to-back service aces, and then Seattle U took the lead in the opening set for good thanks to a kill and a block assist by Matea Mamic (Split, Croatia). Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia) earned a kill and a block assist to help the Redhawks extend their lead to 11-6. Down 17-10, UMKC went on an 8-2 run to close its deficit to one at 19-18. Seattle U closed out the set by scoring five of the final six points as the Kangaroos made 16 total errors in the first set, including attack errors on the last two points.
A service ace by Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.) and a block by Mamic and Stephanie Stoll (Bellevue, Wash.) helped the Redhawks take the early lead in the second set, but UMKC responded with a 7-2 scoring run, led by Jessica Hendin and Emma Hagedorn with two kills apiece. UMKC pulled ahead and reached set point on a kill by Sydney Crimmins, but consecutive kills by Mamic started a Redhawk rally that extended the set. After another Mamic kill tied the set at 25-25, UMKC took advantage of a service error and a kill by Hendin to win the set and equal the match at one set apiece.
UMKC (22-4, 10-1 WAC) scored the first three points of the third set on a kill by Skyler Muff and back-to-back blocks, and then went on an 11-1 scoring run to extend its lead to 15-4, led by Hagedorn with three kills and two blocks. The Redhawks scored three straight points on a kill by Stoll, a block by Stoll and Vujcin, and a kill from Ivanis, but the Kangaroos scored four of the final five points of the set, including two kills by Hendin, to win the third set.
UMKC threatened to run away with the fourth set, going on a 10-1 scoring run, led by Hagedorn with three kills and three total blocks, to open a 14-4 advantage. The Redhawks chipped away at the Kangaroo lead, with kills by Sydney Schafer (Salt Lake City, Utah) sandwiched around a service ace by Meghan Richard (Niwot, Colo.) bringing Seattle U to within three at 22-19, but a kill by Muff and a service ace from Hendin closed out the set and the match in UMKC’s favor.
Mamic earned her first double-double of the season with 10 kills and 11 digs, plus she had four block assists, while Ivanis also collected 10 kills to go along with six digs. Defensively, Stoll led the way at the net for the Redhawks with eight total blocks, and libero Mary Orbeta (Alameda, Calif.) led Seattle U in the back with 12 defensive digs.
Hagedorn was nearly unstoppable for the Kangaroos, earning 16 kills on 20 attempts with just one attack error for a .750 hitting percentage, plus she led UMKC with six total blocks. Hendin notched a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs, Crimmins contributed 10 kills, five digs, and four block assists, and libero Taryn Miller, one of the top defensive players in the country, led all players with 18 digs,
Seattle University (10-14, 6-5 WAC) will look to complete the home schedule on a positive note as it faces Chicago State Saturday, Nov. 8, starting at 1 p.m. Before the match, Stoll and Alec Goodrie (Springfield, Ore.) will be honored in Senior Day ceremonies for their contributions to the Seattle U volleyball program. The match will be broadcast online by the WAC Digital Network.