SEATTLE - Backed behind a record tying number of aces in a match (in its current D-I era), the Seattle U volleyball team emerged victorious in its rematch against Abilene Christian on Saturday afternoon, downing the Wildcats 3-1 (17-25, 25-11, 28-26, 25-18) at the Redhawk Center for its second straight win.
Senior Arianna Bilby picked up her third 20+ kill match this year, hitting at a .245 clip for 20 kills on 53 attempts and seven errors. In the flurry of aces seen throughout the afternoon, the senior tacked on three en route to the teams 14 aces. The mark tied the team's current D-I match record, a performance that has not been mimicked since 2015.
Freshman Grace Jones was a cornerstone in the Redhawks' success, breaking her career high of assists from a match ago by posting a 20 assist performance on Saturday. She paced both teams with a career high five aces to match.
Senior Katlyn Sipes led both teams with 19 digs, moving her ever closer to 1,000 career digs. Holding a team leading 277 on the season, Sipes is 25 digs away from reaching the feat. Junior Merima Smajlovic was the second Redhawk with double digit digs on the day, posting 12 along with three aces and six kills.
Three Redhawks picked up solo blocks, including junior Marley Hardgrave who owns outright sixth in career solo blocks since 2008 with 28. Sophomore Taniyah Pruitt added a solo block of her own to go along with three kills. Pruitt and Hardgrave were each accredited three total blocks.
The Redhawks rebounded after a sluggish start in the opening set as ACU hit .433 for 15 kills and two errors to open the match. Seattle U turned the tables on the Wildcats, hitting .435 for 11 kills on 23 attempts and one error.
Both teams hit similarly in the third set, accuring 18 kills and five errors each. Senior Selin Isik was a pivotal figure from the service line, helping guide the Redhawks on a 7-0 run at the start of the third set. She grabbed one of the 14 aces seen on the day.
Despite posting eight kills in the final set, the Redhawks more than made up for it by tallying six aces. Bountiful Wildcat errors helped pave the way to the rematch victory, as one final service error secured the home win for the Redhawks.
Seattle U hit .236 to ACU's .204, grabbing 45 kills, 14 aces, six blocks and 58 digs to the Wildcats' 50 kills, five aces, three blocks and 54 digs. For the fifth straight match, the Redhawks have out blocked their opponent.
Seattle U returns next Thursday, Oct. 24 as the Redhawks host conference frontrunner UT Arlington at 6 p.m. at the Redhawk Center.
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Fans interested in making a gift to Seattle University Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly impacts all Redhawk student athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. Thank you for supporting Seattle University Athletics!
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Stay connected with Seattle U volleyball and get all the latest team updates by downloading the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play.
Senior Arianna Bilby picked up her third 20+ kill match this year, hitting at a .245 clip for 20 kills on 53 attempts and seven errors. In the flurry of aces seen throughout the afternoon, the senior tacked on three en route to the teams 14 aces. The mark tied the team's current D-I match record, a performance that has not been mimicked since 2015.
Freshman Grace Jones was a cornerstone in the Redhawks' success, breaking her career high of assists from a match ago by posting a 20 assist performance on Saturday. She paced both teams with a career high five aces to match.
Senior Katlyn Sipes led both teams with 19 digs, moving her ever closer to 1,000 career digs. Holding a team leading 277 on the season, Sipes is 25 digs away from reaching the feat. Junior Merima Smajlovic was the second Redhawk with double digit digs on the day, posting 12 along with three aces and six kills.
Three Redhawks picked up solo blocks, including junior Marley Hardgrave who owns outright sixth in career solo blocks since 2008 with 28. Sophomore Taniyah Pruitt added a solo block of her own to go along with three kills. Pruitt and Hardgrave were each accredited three total blocks.
The Redhawks rebounded after a sluggish start in the opening set as ACU hit .433 for 15 kills and two errors to open the match. Seattle U turned the tables on the Wildcats, hitting .435 for 11 kills on 23 attempts and one error.
Both teams hit similarly in the third set, accuring 18 kills and five errors each. Senior Selin Isik was a pivotal figure from the service line, helping guide the Redhawks on a 7-0 run at the start of the third set. She grabbed one of the 14 aces seen on the day.
Despite posting eight kills in the final set, the Redhawks more than made up for it by tallying six aces. Bountiful Wildcat errors helped pave the way to the rematch victory, as one final service error secured the home win for the Redhawks.
Seattle U hit .236 to ACU's .204, grabbing 45 kills, 14 aces, six blocks and 58 digs to the Wildcats' 50 kills, five aces, three blocks and 54 digs. For the fifth straight match, the Redhawks have out blocked their opponent.
Seattle U returns next Thursday, Oct. 24 as the Redhawks host conference frontrunner UT Arlington at 6 p.m. at the Redhawk Center.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a gift to Seattle University Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly impacts all Redhawk student athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. Thank you for supporting Seattle University Athletics!
Follow Along With the Action
Stay connected with Seattle U volleyball and get all the latest team updates by downloading the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play.