CORVALLIS, Ore. - Seattle University volleyball held a late lead in the fourth set against former WAC foe California Baptist, but the Redhawks (2-3) could not force a fifth set, falling 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 16-25, 21-25) to the Lancers (2-2) inside Gill Coliseum.
Sophomore Chloee Leslie led the team with a season high 12 kills. The outside hitter added four digs and picked up a block on the defensive end. Senior Teagan Melton logged her fourth double-digit kill match of the season, posting 10 kills. Melton matched her season high three blocks.
Sophomore Lexi Jones paced the defense tying her career best with 9.0 total blocks. The middle blocker accounted for one solo block and four kills on the day. Senior Adee Butler added four blocks, all solo, while matching Jones with four kills. Freshmen Linnaea Moore and Orinayo Olukanmi each contributed 3.0 blocks and combined for five kills.
Paving the way for the offense was junior setter Grace Jones who logged 22 assists. Fellow setter freshman Mikayla Liljenquist added eight assists while picking up for digs.
Aiding the defense was freshman Janae Demant, who registered a new season high 16 digs. Guiding the team from the service line was freshman Elaina Duong, who paced the team with two aces.
The Redhawks combined for 45 kills, 42 assists, three aces, 43 digs and 16 blocks. Their seven solo blocks tied the program record for solo blocks in a match, tying the feat for the third time ever and the first time since 2022.
Seattle U opened the match up 4-2 behind a kill from Melton and three blocks. The Lancers came back to level the set 4-all before the two teams exchanged seven ties until the Redhawks took the narrow 15-14 lead into the media timeout. Following the break another back and forth ensued before CBU claimed a 19-17 lead. SU came back with a 3-0 run thanks to a block and kill from Butler to jump back out ahead 20-19. CBU spun around with a 4-0 run of its own to threaten the set 23-20. Despite out-scoring the Lancers late, the Redhawks fell 25-23 in the first set.
The Redhawks carried the momentum from the first set into the second, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. Following the CBU timeout, Seattle U continued to push with a flurry of runs to lead by as many as 10, 16-6, midway through the set. CBU pulled within four with a 5-0 run late but the Redhawks closed on a 3-2 run to level the match at one set each as Melton delivered the final kill of set two.
Mimicking the second set, the Redhawks immediately moved ahead 4-1 in the third set before a back and forth ensued. Five ties were exchanged before the Lancers went on a 3-0 run to lead 12-9. Seattle U pulled within one but CBU came back with 6-1 run to force a SU timeout. Trailing 18-12, the Redhawks came back within four with a block from Lexi Jones and a Leslie kill, but the Lancers had a response of their own. CBU closed on a 6-1 run to take the third set 25-16.
Seattle U took an early lead in the fourth set, jumping out 8-3, ending with a kill from freshman Vai Unga. Unga and Olukanmi maintained SU’s five point lead until the Lancers were able to tie the set midway through. Facing the 16-16 tie, the Redhawks crafted a 4-0 run with three blocks and a kill from Olukanmi. CBU called a timeout trailing 20-16, but were able to close the set on a 9-1 run to claim the match in four sets.
The Redhawks turn to the final match of the ASICS Invitational when they take on host Oregon State on Saturday, September 5 at 2:30 PM. The match will be streamed on the Pac-12’s YouTube.
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