Behind another outstanding offensive performance from Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia) as well as strong defense from several players, Seattle University defeated Grand Canyon University, 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-20), Saturday afternoon in a Western Athletic Conference volleyball match at the GCU Arena.
Samadan led all players with 18 kills on 30 attempts, making just one attack error for a .567 hitting percentage, plus she paced the team at the net with four total blocks. Matea Mamic (Split, Croatia) notched a double-double with 10 kills and 14 digs, plus she earned two service aces, as did Iris Ivanis (Pozega, Croatia), who once again solidified the backline as the Redhawk libero, this time with a career-high 21 digs.
Grand Canyon (4-18, 2-8 WAC) scored the first two points of the match before Seattle U went on a 5-1 scoring run, starting with a kill and a service ace by Mamic. After the Antelopes took a 7-6 lead on a kill by Leigh Stonerook, Seattle U scored four straight points, including consecutive kills by Samadan, to pull ahead, 10-7.
The Antelopes pulled to within one at 14-13, but the Redhawks once again scored four straight points, led by Samadan with a block assist and a kill and Ivanis with a service ace. After three straight Grand Canyon kills cut the Seattle U lead to one, the Redhawks closed out the set by scoring four of the final six points, led by Mamic with three kills and punctuated by a kill from Maja Stojanovic (Cacak, Serbia).
In the second set, three early kills by Samadan gave the Redhawks a two-point lead, but Grand Canyon would score six unanswered points, led by two kills from Megan Byrnes, to take a 13-9 advantage. The Redhawks would answer with their own 6-0 scoring run, starting with a kill and a block by Samadan and continuing with three straight kills by Mamic. After the Antelopes tied the set at 22-22 with a kill by Byrnes, Seattle U scored the final three points of the set on consecutive kills by Samadan and a kill by Ivanis to win the set and take a 2-0 match lead.
The third set turned into a series of runs, starting when Seattle U scored five of the first six points, including a kill and a block assist each from Samadan and Mila Duarte (Lima, Peru). Grand Canyon would go on a 5-2 scoring run to close its deficit to one thanks in part to two kills by Melody Horton, but the Redhawks responded with their own 6-1 scoring run, led by Stojanovic with two kills and a block assist, to extend their lead to 16-9.
The Antelopes fought back, putting together a 9-1 scoring run, including two kills and a block assist by Byrnes, to go ahead 19-17. Seattle U settled down, closing out the set and the match by scoring eight of the final nine points, led by Samadan with three kills and a block assist.
Kerry Lane (Tucson, Ariz.) collected 40 assists, the most in a three-set match this season, along with six digs and three total blocks. Stojanovic contributed seven kills on 16 attempts without an error for a .438 hitting percentage, and Kirstin Schauble (Meadow Vista, Calif.) added nine digs to the winning effort.
“It was a good effort today. Martina was exceptional once again, and we were able to include Maja in the offense. Defensively, we dug everything, especially Iris. Kirstin also played well, both with her defense and her serving, which kept them off-balance,” Seattle U head coach James Finley said.
Byrnes led Grand Canyon with 11 kills and four total blocks, while Haley Glass led the Antelope defense with 13 digs.
Seattle University (15-9, 7-4 WAC) closes out the conference schedule with three straight home matches, starting next Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. at Seattle Academy against Utah Valley. The match will be carried by the WAC Digital Network (www.wacsports.com/live), with live stats available on GoSeattleU.com.