SEATTLE — Despite strong performances from a number of Redhawks, Seattle U volleyball (0-3, 0-3 WAC) dropped a five-set heartbreaker at home on Monday, falling 3-2 to conference newcomer, Tarleton (3-6, 1-4 WAC).
Collectively, the Redhawks were held to .177 hitting while the Texans converted at .213 clip. Seattle U also trailed in kills, 61-59; blocks, 13-9; and digs, 90-83, but paced Tarleton, 8-4, in aces.
The Redhawk attack was led by junior Sofia Sanchez who finished with a team-high 14 kills. Classmates Eve Kerschenbaum and Julia Queiroz also notched double-digit tallies, finishing with 12 and 11, respectively. Freshman Sophia Bertotti Metoyer meanwhile had nine kills behind .286 hitting.
Ezgi Ozkan registered her first double-double of the year as she had 45 assists and 14 digs. The sophomore also set a new career-high as she added five kills. Senior Tijana Milojevic held down the backline as she led all players with 26 digs and three aces. Following tonight's effort, Milojevic has now registered double-figure digs in 26 straight matches and is five aces shy of 100 for her career.
Sophomore Lauren McCabe pieced together a solid performance finishing with eight kills and a team-best five blocks.
A sluggish start for the Redhawks saw Tarleton took a commanding 9-3 early. Kills from Queiroz and Sanchez helped Seattle U trim the deficit to 11-8, but it was short-lived as the Texans rattled off seven-unanswered to the deficit to 10. Kerschenbaum tacked on a pair of late tallies to make it 20-13, but it was not enough as Seattle U dropped the opener 25-14.
Trailing 12-11 in the second, the Redhawks scored three-straight including back-to-back stops from Queiroz and McCabe, after neither side was able to hold more than a one-point lead early. The Redhawk attack then surge, powering through a pair of Tarleton timeouts, as they stretched the run to 10-unanswered points and pushed the advantage to 21-12. Milojevic helped gas the run with a trio of aces, while Queiroz put away three kills to push pass the 400 career mark. The Texans eventually stopped the run but the effort fell short as Seattle U tied match with a 25-16 decision.
Trailing 9-8 in the third, Seattle U capitalized on a streak of Texans errors to claim a 12-10 lead. Tied 16-16, Ozkan lands a kill before Queiroz added two more as part of a 3-1 spurt. Back-to-back tallies from the Texans tie the frame at 19 late. Sanchez and McCabe then strike in consecutive order nudging SU to a 21-19 lead. From there the Redhawks accounted four of the next six points as they took a 2-1 match lead.
In the fourth, see-saw action saw Seattle U hold a slim 14-13 lead midway through. The advantage quickly evaporated behind a 5-1 run by Tarleton as it pushed the score to 18-15. The Redhawks battled to stay within arms down the stretch, cutting the deficit to one, 20-19, with an ace from McCabe. The comeback though did not materialize as the Texans escaped, closing the set with a 5-1 run, to force a fifth.
Seattle U never led during the fifth despite tying the frame on four occasions. Level at 5-5, a trio of Redhawk errors allowed Tarleton to slip out to a 8-6 lead at the turn. Seattle U stayed close late but could not over the deficit before falling, 15-13.
The Redhawks conclude their two-match set with Tarleton on Tuesday, with first serve slated for 2 pm PT.