SEATTLE - An early two set lead and late fourth set momentum vaulted the Seattle University volleyball team (2-0) into the win column behind a 3-2 (27-25, 25-21, 15-25, 15-25, 15-12) victory over North Dakota (0-2) on Saturday night. The Redhawks carry a two game winning streak into the Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational finale on Sunday.
Senior Teagan Melton led the team with her second double-digit kill performance of the weekend, logging 15 kills. Sophomore Lexi Jones paced the team hitting .471 for 10 kills on 17 attempts. Freshman Chloee Leslie finished two kills shy of a double-double, recording eight kills and 11 digs.
Senior Adee Butler added an additional nine kills while junior Hailey McEllrath hit .500 for seven kills on 14 attempts with no errors. Guiding the offense was sophomore setter Bella Jones, who recorded 25 assists. Jones also led the team from the service line, logging three aces in the match. Junior Grace Jones also went for 20+ assists, tallying 21 while accounting for two kills, six digs and an ace.
Lexi Jones and McEllrath led the defense with 3.0 blocks each. Freshman Janae Demant paced the team with 12 digs on the day. Melton and freshman Linnaea Moore each added two blocks. Moore also matched McEllrath with seven kills.
The Redhawks combined for 58 kills, 54 assists, seven aces, 48 digs and 6.0 blocks.
Foreshadowing a competitive match, the Redhawks and Fighting Hawks entered a battle in the first set, pushing past 25 points. North Dakota led by as many as three early on, pacing Seattle U 12-9 before combined kills from Melton and Leslie helped level the set 12-all to force North Dakota to take a timeout.
The Fighting Hawks reclaimed the lead 15-12 into the media break before a pair of kills from Butler brought the Redhawks back in front. A 4-0 run by Seattle U gave them the late set lead 22-21, but North Dakota would tie the set 24-all. Lexi Jones and Moore led a 3-1 run with kills to claim the first set for the Redhawks 27-25.
Seattle U leapt out 12-5 in set two with seven kills, a block and an ace. Melton and McEllrath teamed up for a block to secure the 15-9 advantage at the media timeout. Kills from Butler and Lexi Jones pushed the Redhawks past 20 points before the Fighting Hawks pulled within two. Seattle U closed on a 4-2 run to take the 2-0 set lead over North Dakota.
The Fighting Hawks built up runs and limited the Redhawks offense between the third and fourth sets, claiming both 25-15 after Seattle U led early in both sets. Butler and Melton kept the fourth set alive with two kills before North Dakota leveled the match 2-2.
Freshman Elaina Duong led off the fifth set with an ace to put the Redhawks ahead 2-0. North Dakota did not shy away, tying the set four times before the Redhawks led 9-7. A pair of kills and a block from Melton and Lexi Jones put Seattle U up 12-8 before a short burst from North Dakota got the Fighting Hawks back within two. Back to back kills from North Dakota made it a one point set but Melton and Moore secured the win with back to back kills to give the Redhawks the 3-2 match victory.
Seattle U turns to its Steve Nimocks Redhawk Invitational finale on Sunday when it goes head to head against Eastern Washington (2-0) at 1 PM at the Redhawk center. North Dakota and Chicago State meet first at 10 AM at the Redhawk Center.
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