SEATTLE - Seattle University volleyball (6-13, 0-8 WCC) swaps out its red for pink on Saturday afternoon, hosting Santa Clara (10-9, 5-3 WCC) for its Dig Pink for the Cure match at the Redhawk Center at 1 PM. The first 50 fans with proof of a minimum five dollar donation will receive a pink Seattle U t-shirt as part of the team’s fundraising efforts for the Susan G. Komen organization.
The Redhawks return home in fresh pursuit of their first West Coast Conference victory of the year after narrowly falling to Saint Mary’s in five sets on Thursday night. Sophomore Madyn Cervellera leads the team with 252 kills after recording her fourth 20+ kill effort of the season against the Gaels. The outside hitter ranks fifth in the conference in kills this season and also ranks top-10 in kills per set, averaging 3.27 a contest.
Cervellera comes off her ninth double-double in digs and kills this fall, locking up 11 against Saint Mary’s. The effort brought her to 174 digs on the year, a mark that ranks 14th in the WCC. Freshman libero Katelynn Albano leads the team with 212 digs, which ranks tied-eighth in the conference.
Albano is a quintessential piece from the service line along with fellow freshman Petra Fritz. The pair both rank amongst the top-10 in the conference, with Fritz ranking second with 32 aces, averaging .48 aces per set. Albano has recorded 23 in 77 sets on the year.
Along with Cervellera, two more Redhawks have surpassed 100 kills this season, with junior Teagan Melton ranking second on the team with 145 kills. Redshirt junior Yasemin Elmas pushed her way across the 100 kill mark last weekend, ranking behind Melton with 114 kills. Her .303 hitting percentage ranks first on the team.
Guiding the Redhawk offense is a trio of setters led by redshirt junior Elif Teksoy. The Turkish native comes off a career night against the Gaels, grabbing a new career best 48 assists on Thursday evening. Teksoy has 194 assists in 37 sets of action and her 5.24 assists per set ranks 13th in the WCC.
Sophomores Anae Asuncion and Grace Jones round out the group, with Jones leading all Redhawks with 239 assists. Asuncion has also surpassed 200 assists on the year, accruing 216 in 55 sets.
Guarding up front is Elmas, who ranks ninth in the conference in total blocks with 63.0 to lead all Redhawks. Senior Marley Hardgrave cracked the top-20, amassing 48.0 blocks on the season in 76 sets of action.
As a unit, the Redhawks rank tied-third in the WCC in aces, combining for 119 through 77 sets. They also rank top-five in blocking, combining for 154.0 total blocks to rank fourth in the league. Their 45 solo blocks and 218 block assists matches the same ranking at four.
Seattle U and Santa Clara meet for the fifth time in program history dating back to the start of the series in 2009. The Broncos lead the Redhawks 4-0, collecting wins in Santa Clara, Seattle and on a neutral floor. SU pursues its first program win over the Broncos along with its first ever set victory. The pair have not met since the 2017 season.
The Broncos moved to 10-9 on the season after collecting back-to-back wins in their last two appearances, most recently defeating Gonzaga in five sets on Thursday night. They are 2-2 in road matches this year, with wins over the Bulldogs and Pacific.
Following Saturday’s contest, the Redhawks prepare for a rematch against Saint Mary’s inside the Redhawk Center on November 1.
Dig Pink for the Cure
Seattle U Women’s Soccer and Volleyball are teaming up with Susan G. Komen to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer.
Donate today using the link below or at the games using our QR code!
For the first 50 fans at each event, donate $5 or more at either game and receive a free Pink Seattle U T-shirt to show your support!
Together, we can make a difference. Let’s pack the stands in pink and support a great cause!
Donate here.
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!
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