SEATTLE — In spite of a couple milestone performances, Seattle U volleyball fell on Tuesday to UTRGV in Western Athletic Conference action, 3-1 (15-25, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25), and split the series.
For the second-time in as many days, Julia Queiroz paced the Seattle U attack finishing with a team-best 13 kills while hitting .500. Eve Kerschenbaum meanwhile notched 11 kill, to became the seventh Redhawk during the program's Division I-era to reach 600 career kills. Amaris Carter's nine kills pushed her past milestone marker 200 in her career. Ezgi Ozkan fell a dig shy of a double-double as she finished with 39 assists and three blocks. Sophia Bertotti Metoyer's four blocks tied a match-high. Sam Hayward had a team-best 12 digs. Lily Eason had a career-best three aces.
Seattle U controlled the tempo early as it raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first set. Queiroz dropped in a pair of tallies during the early spurt with Carter adding a kill and ace. With the Redhawks leading 7-2, UTRGV rattled off five unanswered to pull even at seven. Kerschenbaum nudged Seattle U out front by one, but the advantage quickly evaporated behind a 6-0 run from the Vaqueros. Down 13-8, the Redhawks trimmed the deficit to three with a pair of kills from Lauren McCabe as part of a 5-3 exchange. UTRGV then pulled away late behind a 7-1 run, before eventually taking the opening set, 25-15.
Down 5-2 in the second, McCabe and Kerschenbaum landed back-to-back strikes as part of a 4-0 run that gave the Redhawks a 6-5 lead. UTRGV though stayed in-step forcing a quartet of ties, including a strike to pull even at 13. Seattle U again slipped out to a narrow 16-13 lead, on an ace from Eason. The Vaqueros rallied to pull level at 17 and 18, before claiming a 20-19. Down 22-21, Queiroz converted on an attempt bringing the score level at 22. A pair of late UTRGV miscues provided set point for the Redhawks, 24-23. Kerschenbaum then secured the frame, tying the match at 1-1.
In the third, UTRGV sprinted to a 5-1 lead before pushing the margin to 11-4. Sanchez contributed a pair of kills and an ace but the Redhawks continued to on their back foot as they trailed 14-9. Down 18-9, cut the the deficit to three as it strung together six unanswered. McCabe sparked the rally with a kill, while Sophia Bertotti Metoyer landed a strike and a block assist during the push. After trading 3-0 spurts to make it 21-18, the Vaqueros took a 2-1 match advantage as they won the frame, 25-20.
Jostling for position early in the fourth, Seattle U slipped out to a slim 4-3 lead with a kill from Carter. The advantage however quickly deteriorated as UTRGV pieced together a 5-1 run and claim a lead 8-5. Despite hitting .312 for the set, the Redhawks were unable to recover as the deficit grew to six midway through. Trailing 23-17, after surrendering a 5-1 run, Seattle U registered four answered to trim the margin to three. Tijana Milojevic chipped in an ace, but it was fueled by a three-kill sprint by Carter. The rally though fell short UTRGV tacked on the final two points, 25-20.
Seattle U finished the match hitting .214, while the Vaqueros attack converted on a .311-clip. The Redhawk held a slim 44-41 advantage in digs, but were edged out in kills, 52-49, and aces, 12-8.
The Redhawks resume action next week with a trip to Phoenix to face Grand Canyon, to close the road portion of their schedule.