SEATTLE - (Sept. 4) A total team effort was key Sunday afternoon in the Connolly Complex as the Seattle U volleyball team concluded play at the SU/UW Tournament with a gutsy 25-21, 25-23, 16-25, 25-21 win over Villanova.
With their second straight victory, the Redhawks improved to 4-2 on the season while the Wildcats, a 2015 NCAA Tournament team, fell to an even 3-3.
“Villanova played a tough match today,” said SU Head Coach James Finley. “They got us in the whole often and we continued to respond. I can’t say enough about our character and how hard we fought today.”
Matea Mamic led all players with 16 kills on 49 swings while freshman Katarina Marinkovic added 13 kills, nine digs and four aces.
SU’ freshmen Kory White and Katarina Glavinic added a strong addition to the middle, each hitting at a .500 clip. White had nine kills and four block assists while Glavinic added six kills (on 12 swings and no errors) and five blocks.
The Redhawks jumped out to an early 9-3 lead in the first set and, despite a Villanova attempt to close the gap late, never faltered in a 25-21 win.
Set two was a different story as the Wildcats swung momentum and built a 19-13 lead. But Seattle U wasn’t finished. A kill by Marinkovic and an ace by Aly Borje-Bonkowski made it 19-15 Villanova.
Following a service error by Borje-Bonkwoski, White reeled off back-to-back kills and Marinkovic served an ace, cutting the deficit to just two, 20-18. Another White kill brought the Redhawks within one and errors by the Wildcats would help give SU the lead for the first time, 23-21.
Mamic would go on to account for the final two points of the set with a kill and a block assist with Glavinic, giving SU a 2-0 cushion.
The Wilcats downed SU in the third set, 25-16 and looked on course to force a fifth and deciding set with an 18-13 lead midway through the fourth. But Seattle U stormed back once again behind the serve of Marinkovic.
The Redhawks would take the lead, 21-20, on a Mamic kill and score four of the final five points to clinch the match.
Seattle U’s busy stretch of action continues Tuesday against Oregon in the Connolly Complex. First serve is set for 7 p.m.