SEATTLE - Seattle University volleyball battled San Diego with a competitive middle set, but the Redhawks (4-12, 1-5 WCC) could not extend the match any further, falling to the Toreros (8-8, 3-3 WCC) in three (17, 25-, 23-25, 11-25) inside the Redhawk Center on Thursday evening.
Senior Teagan Melton led the Redhawks with eight kills, while sophomore Chloee Leslie and freshman Vai Unga combined for 11 kills. Leslie filled out her stat sheet with an ace, six digs, two assists and a block. Matching Leslie from the service line was junior Hailey McEllrath, while Unga also matched the outside hitter with a block.
Junior Grace Jones guided the offense with nine assists, while also picking up six digs and a kill. Freshman Janae Demant logged seven assists and paced the team with 13 digs. Aiding the offense was sophomore Bella Jones who recorded six assists. The setter grabbed seven digs on the defensive side.
Freshman Orinayo Olukanmi and junior Lexi Jones each combined for 2.0 blocks to guide the defense out front.
The Redhawks combined for 27 kills, 25 assists, two aces, 35 digs and 4.0 blocks.
After trailing the Toreros by six, 9-3, in the early first set, the Redhawks pivoted out of a timeout to orchestrate a 4-2 run to pull within four off a kill from Unga. San Diego would continue its stronghold on the lead through the middle of the set, building its lead to ten, 19-9. Kills from Olukanmi and Unga pulled the Redhawks back within eight, while Leslie and McEllrath teamed up to extend the set with a kill and ace respectively, but San Diego would claim set one 25-17.
Melton led off the second set with a trio of kills to give Seattle U a 4-1 advantage early. The Toreros spun the match behind a 5-0 run to lead 6-4 before Grace Jones and Leslie leveled the set 6-all with a pair of kills. San Diego would push the lead once more behind a 4-0, pacing the Redhawks by four, 15-11, at the media break. After trailing by five, a USD error sent Bella Jones to the line to guide a 3-0 SU run, led with blocks from Olukanmi, Lexi Jones and Leslie. Following a San Diego timeout, the Redhawks surged ahead with a 5-0 run late in the set with Leslie leading from the service line. Olukanmi picked up a solo block while Leslie’s ace put the Redhawks ahead 20-19. A kill from Unga gave Seattle U the 21-19 advantage, but the Toreros would not go away quietly, reclaiming the lead 23-22 with a 3-0 run. Olukanmi leveled the set with a kill but San Diego would take the second set 25-23.
San Diego maintained its momentum into the closing set, pushing its early third set lead 7-2 before the Redhawks started to chip at the deficit. A trio of runs pushed the Toreros out ahead late into the set, securing the match behind a 25-11 set victory.
Seattle U remains at home through the weekend, hosting the WCC’s newest member, Denver, at the Redhawk Center on Saturday afternoon.
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