Team Schedule | NOTE: No live stats/video available for match
SEATTLE — The Seattle U volleyball team opens the 2019 campaign on Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 1 pm when it visits Portland in exhibition bout at Chiles Center. It will be the only tune-up for the Redhawks before their official season opener on Friday, Aug. 30.
Tabbed eighth in the Western Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Redhawks look to improve from 2018 which saw them finish 11-19 overall, though qualified for their sixth consecutive WAC Tournament under the direction of head coach James Finley.
The youthful lineup features 11 underclassmen, though is headlined by seasoned sophomores Sofia Sanchez and Julia Queiroz, who 104 and 110 sets respectively last season and combined for more than 450 kills. Sanchez finished her inaugural season listed second among team leaders in kills (245) and third in blocks (50), while Queiroz was second in total blocks (94) and third in hitting percentage (.233) and kills (219). Classmates Azzia MacDonald, Eve Kerschenbaum and Kailee Kurokawa meanwhile are expected to contribute more and play larger roles in their second season.
Finley also welcomes six new faces into the fold for the 2019 campaign with five freshman as well as local-product Sam Hayward, who joined Seattle U after spending the last two seasons at Nevada. Each is expected to contribute and challenge their respective incumbent’s for playing time early.
Also returning for 2019 is Aly Borje-Bonkowski who’s back for her final season and is the squad’s lone senior. She is accompanied by junior Tijana Milojevic who anchored the backline and paced last season’s team in digs (493) and service aces (31) while distributing 105 assists. Rachel Stark is also back for her redshirt-junior season after finishing 2018 with a team-best 254 kills.
During his six previous seasons Finely has worked with 20 All-WAC selections, eight WAC Player of the Week nods, in addition to a pair of WAC Freshman of the Year and back-to-back WAC Setter of the Year, Shae Harris.
The Redhawks will be tested in the warm-up bout as Portland is coming off a 20-win season and returns nine letterwinners from season ago, including All-West Coast Conference honoree Katie Barker as well as starters Shayla Hoeft, Carey Williams and Liz Reich. The Pilots are led by second-year head coach Jeff Baxter.
Seattle U will officially begin the 2019 schedule versus Southern Miss at the 2019 Denver Classic before closing the weekend trip matches against San Francisco and host, Denver. The team’s first match of the campaign at home in the Redhawk Center is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 10 against in-state rival Eastern Washington.