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Opening WAC Weekend Wraps Against Utah Valley

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Opening WAC Weekend Wraps Against Utah ValleyOpening WAC Weekend Wraps Against Utah Valley
SEATTLE – Seattle University volleyball takes another stab at collecting its first Western Athletic Conference win on Monday night in the Redhawk Center as they host Utah Valley in a 6 p.m. first serve.

FOLLOW THE REDHAWKS

QUICK HITS

  • Seattle U won a thrilling first set against Grand Canyon, 29-27, on Saturday, but would fall 3-1 to the Lopes in their WAC opener.
  • Arianna Bilby led a trio of Redhawks with double-digit kills, finishing with 16. Merima Smajlovic added 14 and Yasemin Elmas had 12.
  • Smajlovic tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 18 digs to go with her 14 kills.
  • Katlyn Sipes had 20+ digs for the second time this season, finishing with 21.
  • Seattle U closed out non-conference play with a 2-8 record. The Redahwks' wins came over CSUN and Air Force.
  • Elif Teksoy became just the sixth Redhawk in the program's modern Division I era to surpass 1,000 career assists when she passed the marker on Sept. 21 in a 3-0 win over Air Force. The redshirt sophomore enters Monday's match with 1,080 career assists.
  • Merima Smajlovic ranks third in the WAC with 17 service aces (0.43 per set).
  • Katlyn Sipes ranks second in the WAC with 3.83 digs per set.
  • Marley Hardgrave ranks seventh in the WAC with 1.11 blocks per set. Yasemin Elmas is next in the ranks at eighth with 1.08 blocks per set.
  • The Redhawks won their season opener, 3-2, over CSUN to give new Head Coach Dan Behnke his first win at the helm of the program.
  • Merima Smajlovic was named to the Idaho State All-Tournament Team. The junior outside hitter averaged 2.92 kills and 3.0 digs per set while also tallying seven aces and five blocks over the three matches.
  • Marley Hardgrave earned all-tournament honors at the Roadrunner Classic after collecting 13 total blocks over two matches. The junior middle blocker also hit an efficient .320.
  • The 2024 Redhawk squad features nine returning players and seven new faces.

ABOUT THE SERIES VS UTAH VALLEY

  • Seattle U trails the all-time series with Utah Valley, 6-18.
  • UVU has won the last 11 meetings, most recently a 3-0 decision in Orem, Utah, on Oct. 9, 2023.
  • The last meeting in Seattle was on Oct. 6, 2022 and resulted in a 3-0 UVU win.
  • Seattle U's last win in the series was a 3-2 decision in Orem, Utah, on Oct. 21, 2017.

SEATTLE U RECORD BOOK RANKINGS
A number of Redhawks are among the program's Division I era leaderboard in numerous career statistical categories:

BILBY NAMES PRESEASON ALL-WAC
Senior outside hitter Arianna Bilby was named to the nine-member Preseason All-Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Team as voted on by the league's nine head coaches. An Arlington, Wash., native, Bilby is entering her senior season with the Redhawks. She is coming off of a standout junior season where she finished second in the WAC and 32nd in the nation in attacks per set (11.01) and third in the WAC in kills per set (3.56). She led the Redhawks in points and kills while recording 11 double-doubles and earning a trio of All-Tournament Team selections.

UP NEXT
Seattle U hits the road for its next four conference matches, beginning with three straight in the state of Texas. The Redhawks head to Stephenville, Texas, on Oct. 3 to face Tarleton and to Abilene, Texas, on Oct. 7 to face Abilene Christian. Both matches will air live on ESPN+.

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