Seattle University ended its road trip successfully, sweeping Bethune-Cookman before defeating Florida International in four sets to conclude the FIU/Miami Challenge Friday night at the FIU Arena on the campus of Florida International University.
“We had a really balanced performance all day today. After playing one of our worst sets of the year in the second set against FIU, we played two great sets offensively to close out the weekend. I’m proud of the intensity and determination of the team, I think the team learned more about themselves and what it takes to be a champion,” Seattle U head coach James Finley said.
Seattle U 3, Florida International 1 (25-12, 17-25, 25-13, 25-16)
With the match tied at one set apiece heading into the third set, Florida International scored three of the first four points before Seattle U rallied, taking the lead at 8-7 after back-to-back kills by Jelena Vujcin (Becej, Serbia). After a kill by FIU’s Tia Clay tied the set at 9-9, the Redhawks scored seven unanswered points, with Mary Orbeta (Alameda, Calif.) earning two service aces during the run. Seattle U closed out the set on a 9-3 scoring run, punctuated by a kill from Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia).
The Redhawks continued their solid play into the fourth set, jumping out to a 10-2 lead and then extending it to 12-3 on kills by Samadan and Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.). Kills by Katie Friesen and Katie Hogan brought the Panthers to within five at 16-11, but blocks by Lane and Samadan as well as a kill from Lane extended the Seattle U lead back to eight at 19-11. Seattle U would score five of the final seven points of the match, punctuated by kills from Matea Mamic (Split, Croatia) and Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia).
Mamic led the Redhawk offense with 13 kills, plus she collected nine digs, while Samadan finished with 11 kills, a .381 hitting percentage, and six total blocks. Lane dished out 34 assists, with Ivanis earning nine kills and 13 digs and Maja Stojanovic (Cacak, Serbia) contributing seven kills. Vujcin collected six kills and six service aces, and Orbeta led the backline with 14 digs to go along with two service aces.
Thanks to three early kills by Stojanovic, Seattle U scored four of the first five points of the match, and then the Redhawks scored four unanswered points, including a kill and a service ace by Mamic. After the Panthers pulled to within one at 9-8, the Redhawks rattled off six straight points, three of them on Vujcin service aces. Seattle U closed out the set on a 10-2 scoring run, led by Mamic with three kills.
Florida International (7-4) scored the first five points of the second set, including two service aces by Lucia Castro, but Seattle U recovered by scoring the next four points. The Panthers scored five of the next six points, and then went on another 5-1 scoring run, including two kills by Jennifer Ene and two blocks, to extend their lead to 16-8. Samadan earned two kills and a block to spark a 5-1 Seattle U run late in the set, but FIU closed out the second set with a kill by Castro and a service ace from Friesen.
Seattle U 3, Bethune-Cookman 0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-18)
Seattle U scored the first four points of the match on three kills and a block, but Bethune-Cookman came right back with four unanswered points on three kills and a service ace. The Redhawks took the lead for good on a service ace by Orbeta and a block by Samadan and Mamic. After the two teams exchanged points for a while, the Redhawks closed out the opening set with an 8-2 scoring run, with Samadan earning a kill and a service ace down the stretch.
The Redhawks once again took the early lead in the second set, as back-to-back service aces by Vujcin put Seattle U on top 11-3. A kill by Rakaya Neely closed the Bethune-Cookman deficit to 14-8, but the Redhawks put together a 9-3 scoring run to extend their advantage to 23-11. Bethune-Cookman won the next three points, but Seattle U closed out the set thanks to two Wildcat errors.
Seattle U took a 7-2 lead in the third set and maintained that advantage throughout the set, not allowing Bethune-Cookman to come any closer than four points behind. The Redhawks would wrap up the set and the match on a block by Samadan and Mamic.
Samadan led the Redhawks with eight kills, a .467 hitting percentage, and six total blocks, while Ivanis added seven kills along with a team-high 10 digs and Mamic contributed six kills, three digs, and four block assists. As a team, Seattle U hit .298 and earned 10 service aces, half of them coming from Vujcin.
Seattle University (8-5) begins conference play next weekend with the Midwest road trip, first facing defending WAC regular season champion Missouri-Kansas City Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. local time (5 p.m. Pacific Time), a match that will be shown on the WAC Digital Network (www.wacsports.com/live). The Redhawks then head to Chicago for a matchup against the Chicago State Cougars Saturday, Sept. 26, at 12 noon Central time.