MOVING ON UP: The Seattle University volleyball team has won four of its last five matches, moving into a tie for second place in the WAC standings as it pursues a bye into the semifinals of next week’s conference tournament. Two home matches are on the horizon, starting with Wednesday night’s contest against New Mexico State, who have already secured the WAC regular season title and the top seed in the WAC Tournament. The Redhawks close the week Saturday against UT Rio Grande Valley, honoring Martina Samadan in Senior Day ceremonies before taking on the Vaqueros. Seattle U has already clinched its first winning season since 2010 and is now looking for one of the top single-season win totals in program history. Both matches this week will be streamed online by the WAC Digital Network (www.wacsports.com/live).
THE PREVIOUS WEEK: In a reversal from the first meeting almost a month ago in Orem, Utah, Seattle U played one of its best matches in defeating Utah Valley, 3-0 (26-24, 25-13, 25-15). Kerry Lane dished out 41 assists as the Redhawks hit .387 in the match, its best hitting percentage of the season and the fifth-highest single-match percentage in program history. Matea Mamic and Jelena Vujcin led Seattle U with 13 kills apiece, with Mamic also earning three service aces and six digs while Vujcin finished with two service aces and four total blocks. Martina Samadan continues to be nearly unstoppable, collecting 12 kills in 19 attempts with just one attack error for a .579 hitting percentage, the fourth straight match in which she has hit over .500. Defensively, Iris Ivanis led the way with 11 digs to go along with two service aces.
A BRILLANT CAREER WINDS DOWN: There is just one senior on this season’s Seattle University volleyball team, but she will be a major loss for the Redhawks after the season ends. Believed to be the tallest player in program history, Martina Samadan has been a major reason for the success of the Redhawks over the past three seasons. Combining the kills from her freshman season playing for James Finley at VCU with the ones she has earned since traveling across the country to Seattle U, Samadan notched the 1,000th kill of her collegiate career in the third set of the Oct. 29 match at CSU Bakersfield to tie the set at 6-6. Coming into this week’s matches, Samadan already holds the Redhawk career record for most solo blocks (48) and is on pace to leave Seattle U with the highest career hitting percentage in program history (.408). She is also tied for third in total blocks (302), fifth in career block assists (254), and eighth in career kills at Seattle U (789). Samadan will be honored in pregame ceremonies before the Oct. 14 match against UTRGV.