SEATTLE - Seattle University volleyball and Eastern Washington met in a battle of the unbeatens for the Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational finale. The Redhawks (2-1) forced a fourth set but could not overcome a late surge from the Eagles (3-0), falling 3-1 (21-25, 17-25, 25-17, 12-25) inside the Redhawk Center on Sunday afternoon.
Senior Adee Butler led the offense with 11 kills, while sophomore Chloee Leslie added eight. Senior Teagan Melton tacked on seven kills and sophomore Lexi Jones followed up with six kills. Junior Grace Jones orchestrated the offense with 13 assists, while picking up six digs on the defensive end. Sophomore Bella Jones added 12 assists, and posted one kill, seven digs and an ace.
Junior Hailey McEllrath and Lexi Jones led the defense with four blocks a piece. Melton and Leslie each had three blocks. McEllrath led the Redhawks from the service line, tallying three aces in the match. Freshman Janae Demant patrolled the floor with a team leading 11 digs. Demant accounted for six digs and two aces on the day.
The Redhawks combined for 39 kills, seven aces, 44 digs and eight blocks, out pacing the Eagles from the service line 7-6.
A back and forth ensued through the opening set, as the Eagles and Redhawks wrestled with seven ties until Eastern Washington pulled ahead by three, 11-8. After a Redhawk timeout, Lexi Jones collected back to back kills to pull back within one. The Eagles crafted a pair of runs, 3-0 then 4-0 respectively, to lead 18-12 late in the set. Seattle U responded with a 5-1 run to force an Eastern Washington timeout as Melton and Jones each grabbed kills. Melton pushed the Redhawks within two, 21-23, but the Eagles closed out the first set with the final two points to take the first set.
Seattle U came back with an early second set lead after a 4-0 run with kills from Bella Jones, Leslie and Melton. Eastern Washington responded with a 5-0 run to take the lead 7-4.The Redhawks kept close but the Eagles would halt SU runs at each turn before capturing the set 25-17.
Eastern Washington continued its push in the third set, leading 4-1 early. Freshman Orinayo Olukanmi tallied a kill before McEllrath secured an ace to tie the set 9-all. The Redhawks and Eagles exchanged two more ties before SU went on a 8-0 run with Demant at the service line. Leading 19-12, the Redhawks once again turned to the service line with Bella Jones and McEllrath tallying aces. Butler knocked down the final kill to force a fourth set 25-17 in favor of Seattle U.
Four ties defined the early fourth set before Eastern Washington took a page from the Redhawks, recording a 6-0 run. Seattle U came back with a 4-1 run of its own to pull within three as Butler and Olukanmi each went for kills. Another short burst from Seattle U kept the match within two, but the Eagles would close on a surge to capture the set and match behind a 25-12 set win.
The Redhawks return to action next week for the Oregon State tournament in Corvallis, Ore. where they will face Montana, California Baptist and Oregon State September 3-5.
Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational All-Tournament Team
Gracilove Littlejohn - Chicago State
Kalista Lukovich - Eastern Washington
An den Hamer - North Dakota
Teagan Melton - Seattle U
Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational MVP
Kalista Lukovich - Eastern Washington
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