SEATTLE - For the final time this season, Seattle University volleyball takes to the floor with two contests in the Bay Area over Thanksgiving weekend. The Redhawks (8-19, 2-14 WCC) square off at San Francisco (6-20, 3-12 WCC) on Wednesday evening before wrapping the year at Santa Clara (15-12, 10-6 WCC) on Saturday afternoon.
SU comes off its second victory in conference play, defeating third place in league standings Oregon State in five sets. The Redhawks relied on its stellar senior class to pull off the victory, shutting the door on one of the WCC’s top teams for the program’s first ever win over OSU.
Sophomore Madyn Cervellera guides the Redhawks offense with 360 kills on the year, a mark that ties sixth all-time for kills in a single season in the Division I era. Her 3.33 kills per set ranks sixth in the conference. The outside hitter is also a crucial piece to the defense, amassing 243 digs and 40.0 blocks this season.
Five more Redhawks have eclipsed 100 kills this season, with junior Teagan Melton leading the group with 198 kills. Freshman Petra Fritz (168), redshirt junior Yasemin Elmas (153), senior Marley Hardgrave (125) and junior Adee Butler (105) round out the group.
Leading the Redhawks from the service line is Fritz. Her .48 aces per set paces the WCC and ranks 23rd in the nation. In Saturday’s win over the Beavers, Fritz picked up her 46th ace of the season, a mark that ties the program DI record for aces in a single season.
Orchestrating the offense is redshirt junior Elif Teksoy. Her 6.90 assists per set ranks sixth in the conference. In 20 matches, the setter has tallied 469 assists.
Elmas and Hardgrave guide the defense out front, with Elmas pacing the pair with her new career season best 92.0 blocks. Hardgrave also crossed the threshold for a new career season best, combining for 81.0 blocks this season. Elmas’ 16 solo blocks tied fourth all-time for solo blocks in a single season. Hardgrave tied-seventh all-time with 13 solo blocks.
Patrolling the floor is freshman Katelynn Albano, who leads the team with 264 digs. She is also a leader from the service line, combining for 30 aces.
Seattle U’s block ranks fifth in the WCC as the Redhawks have picked up 221.0 through 27 matches. Their 324 block assists also rank fifth in the league while their 62 solo blocks rank fourth. SU’s 62 solo blocks tied the Division I record for solo blocks in a season.
The Redhawks rank fifth in the conference with their serve, combining for 172 aces on the season. The mark now ranks third for aces in a single season in the DI era.
First up for SU on the weekend is San Francisco. The pair meet for the eighth time in program history and the fourth time in San Francisco. The Redhawks hosted the Dons for the first time in program history two weeks ago, picking up their first ever win in WCC play in the process. Since the two last met, the Dons have accumulated a three-match winning streak, with all three victories coming at home as part of a five-home match stand to close out their season.
SU’s four set victory over USF was the second win in the program history over the Dons. San Francisco still maintains the series edge 5-2. The Redhawks square off with the Dons on Wednesday, November 26 at 6 PM inside the War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.
The Redhawks wrap their debut WCC season in Santa Clara, looking to avenge the five set loss in Seattle a month ago. Since the two last met, the Broncos have posted a 4-3 record, most recently falling to conference champion San Diego at home. They host Washington State on Wednesday before hosting their Senior Day against the Redhawks on Saturday.
The Broncos lead the all-time series 5-0 after collecting the 3-2 win in Seattle. It was the first time in the history of the series that the Redhawks got a set off of the Broncos. Seattle U completes the year against Santa Clara on Saturday, November 29 at 1 PM.
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.