PHOENIX, Ariz. — A cold offense performance on Monday handcuffed Seattle U volleyball as it dropped its Western Athletic Conference meeting with Grand Canyon in three sets. The Redhawks (2-9), were held to a below-zero hitting as they committed a season-high 28 attack errors.
Amaris Carter and Lauren McCabe were tied with a team-high six kills, while Nicole Taylor came off the bench to chip in five. Ezgi Ozkan had 19 assists to go along with a team-best four blocks and eight digs. Tijana Milojevic led the Redhawks with 11 digs.
A sluggish start in the first saw the Redhawks fall into a 6-2 hole early. They however chipped away at the deficit as Carter, Eve Kerschenbaum and Sophia Bertotti Metoyer helped Seattle U narrow the gap to 11-9. SU then scored three unanswered to pulling even at 12-12 as McCabe banged in back-to-back kills. GCU though responded with a 7-0 run. Trailing 19-12, the Redhawks pieced together a 5-1 rally, cutting the margin two. A pair of SU errors bookended a GCU strike as the Antelopes regained a six-point lead, 23-17. Swings from McCabe and Bertotti Metoyer contributed to the Seattle U cause, narrowing the score to 23-20, but the rally fell short as GCU escaped, 25-21.
After hitting .184 in the opening frame, the Redhawks hit -.135 in the second and -.143 in the third.
GCU sprinted to a 7-2 lead to open the second, before pushing the score to 13-5 midway through. Taylor and Ozkan then landed consecutive kills before Sam Hayward added an ace, helping the Redhawks close the deficit to five. That however was the closest Seattle U came as it scoring just four more times, while Grand Canyon used an 8-1 run late to claim a 25-12 decision, and 2-0 match lead.
In the third, a quartet of Seattle U errors proved costly as GCU led 9-2 early. The Antelopes then committed a trio errors before McCabe and Hayward hammered back-to-back kills as part of a 5-1 run, helping SU narrow the deficit to 10-7. The Redhawks continued to linger as Taylor made it 12-8. Down 17-10, the Redhawks trimmed the margin to four with a kill from Sofia Sanchez and block assist from Ozkan and Bertotti Metoyer. Grand Canyon again pulled away late behind another 8-1 rally as it secured a 25-14 decision.
Seattle U returns to action on Tuesday to wrapping up its series with GCU, first serve is set for 3 pm.