SEATTLE - Late match heroics and a career night guided the Seattle University volleyball team to a 3-2 victory over Idaho (2-3) on day two of the Courtyard by Marriott Seattle U Invitational at the Redhawk Center on Friday evening. The Redhawks remain undefeated at home and move to their best Division I era start (4-1) in program history.
Sophomore Madyn Cervellera posted 23 kills hitting .340 to lead the Redhawk offense while also picking up a double-double in digs and kills, adding 11 digs. The outside hitter posted 3.0 blocks, including one solo block, and two assists. Freshman Petra Fritz matched her career best four aces, tallying four against the Vandals while adding six kills.
Redshirt sophomore Teagan Melton also went for double-digit kills, posting 12 while adding 3.0 blocks on the defensive end. Junior Adee Butler and redshirt junior Yasemin Elmas combined for 12 kills and 7.0 blocks, with Elmas tallying a solo block.
Sophomore Grace Jones broke her previous career high after breaking it 24 hours ago, leading all Redhawks with 26 assists. She went for a new career high two kills while posting her second day in a row with a double-double in assists and digs, adding 12 digs. Fellow sophomore setter Anae Asuncion went for 21 assists and an ace, one that would secure the match victory for the Redhawks.
Junior Taniyah Pruitt extended her solo block streak, recording two in five sets of action. She led all Redhawks with 6.0 blocks on the night. Bolstering the Redhawk defense was freshman libero Katelynn Albano, who grabbed 12 digs.
Together the Redhawks combined for 61 kills, 58 assists, eight aces, 50 digs and 13.0 blocks.
Both teams had to work for every point, with three of the five sets decided by two points. The match opened in a back and forth, trading ties and one point leads until Fritz served the team to a 8-0 run, picking up two aces along the way. Bookended by a Elmas block, the Redhawks took a 16-10 lead before a 7-4 swing by the Vandals pulled the contest within three. Idaho would not relent, keeping close on Seattle U’s heels with three blocks before a kill from Melton forced set point. Idaho avoided the early set loss forcing the 24-24 tie before a Vandal error and a kill from Cervellera clinched the set for the Redhawks.
Idaho had a fruitful set in the second while clamping down on the Redhawk offense, grabbing 17 kills to Seattle U’s 11. While the set started similarly to the first, a 5-0 towards the end of the set secured a 22-16 lead for the Vandals. Despite a push from Seattle U, the Redhawks fell 25-18 in set two.
Another tug-of-war through the early set was snapped by the Vandals as they led 14-9 in set three. Two blocks from Pruitt and senior Marley Hardgrave along with an Idaho error pulled the match within two before another bout of keepaway by Idaho. A 3-0 run by the Redhawks from Butler and Elmas tied the set 17-all before Idaho reclaimed the lead. The Vandals would go on to take the 2-1 set lead behind a 5-2 run to close set three.
After facing an initial 8-2 deficit, the Redhawks chipped at the Vandal lead behind a 5-0 run started by a block from Elmas and Butler and bookended with a Cervellera kill. After the Idaho timeout, the Redhawks continued their push, keeping close and matching Idaho at every turn. The Vandals would lead by four before Cervellera picked up two kills along with Jones to even the set 19-19. A back and forth would see to a 21-21 tie before two Idaho errors and an Albano ace forced set point. Elmas would secure the set for the Redhawks with a kill to force a fifth set.
The Vandals once again jumped out to an early set lead as the Redhawks trailed by four 5-1. Back-to-back kills from Cervellera pulled the Redhawks within two before the Vandals reclaimed the lead 7-4. Two kills from Butler and one from Elmas tied the set 9-9 before Idaho moved within striking distance 13-11. Cervellera took control with three straight kills to grab her new career high 23 in a match guided by Asuncion from the serving spot. Facing set point up 14-13, Asuncion delivered the match winning ace to secure the 3-2 comeback from the Redhawks.
ASDFGHJKL ANAE WITH THE ACE FOR THE WIN‼️‼️‼️#TogetherWeSoar pic.twitter.com/x82Wsf7DcI
— Seattle U Volleyball🏐 (@seattleuvb) September 6, 2025
Seattle U returns to action for the Courtyard by Marriott Seattle U Invitational finale against Manhattan tomorrow at 1 PM at the Redhawk Center. The Redhawks seek their third straight win at home while hoping to build upon its DI program historic start.
Tickets for session day three are available for purchase at goseattleu.com/tix.
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