Fiesty Falcons Fall Short in Comeback Attempt at Seattle
September 10, 2004

Complete Box Score

SEATTLE, Wa. (Sept.) 10—Three Falcons hit double figures in kills as Seattle Pacific rebounded from a 2-0 deficit and took cross-city rival Seattle University to the distance in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on Friday night at Brougham Pavilion.

The visiting Redhawks (3-6, 1-0 GNAC), however, held off the Falcons (4-5, 0-1) in a battle that went down to the final plays. Seattle Pacific dropped the heartbreaker 18-30, 21-30, 32-30, 30-20, 13-15 in the league opener for both teams.

After coming back to force a decisive game, the Falcons fell behind 12-9 late in the fifth. SPU got kills from Alyssa Given (Fr., Salinas, Wa./Notre Dame) and Katie Ralph (Jr., Port Orchard, Wa./South Kitsap) as part of a 3-0 run to pull even. The teams were deadlocked again at 13 points apiece, but Seattle University rattled off two straight points for the win.

Chelsey Myers (Jr., Minden, Nv./Douglas) led all players with 19 kills, including six in game three to help shift the momentum to the home side. She also had a team-high 17 digs. Given finished with 18 kills and 11 digs. Ralph chipped in 14 kills, nine digs and seven blocks.

The Redhawks cruised to wins in the first two games, but SPU battled back and outlasted SU 32-30 in the third. The Falcons made a statement in the fourth game with a 30-20 win, behind eight kills from Given, to pull even at two games apiece.

Kathleen Monda (Sr., Woodinville, Wa.) had eight kills and 13 digs in the loss. Jenna Von Moos (So., So., Stanwood, Wa.) tallied 59 assists to go along with five blocks.

Nikole Thompson led the Redhawks with 17 kills and six digs. Lizzy Safranski had 13 kills, 23 digs and four blocks. Janeen Fitzgerald finished with 10 digs for SU.

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow night when they host Northwest Nazarene in a GNAC match at 7 pm.

Seattle University def. Seattle Pacific 30-18,30-21,30-32,20-30,15-13
Seattle University (3-6, 1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Thompson,Nikole 17-4-0; Safranski,Lizzy 13-1-4; Fitzgerald, Janeen 10-0-2; Sommerman,Sarah 8-0-0; Krahn,Amelie 8-0-3; Brunson, Erika 4-2-2; Kaysinger,Megan 4-0-1; Safranski,Maggie 0-1-0; Totals 64-8-6.0. (Assists) - Brunson, Erika 52. (Dig leaders) - Safranski,Lizzy 23; Safranski,Maggie 23; Brunson, Erika 16; Mulick,Melissa 12
Seattle Pacific (4-5, 0-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Myers,Chelsey 19-1-3; Given,Alyssa 18-2-0; Ralph,Katie 14-0-7; Monda,Kathleen 8-1-1; Dibble,Whitney 4-0-2; Von Moos,Jenna 3-0-5; Biornstad,Rachel 2-0-1; Bauder,Jessica 1-0-0; Totals 69-4-10.0. (Assists) - Von Moos,Jenna 59. (Dig leaders) - Myers,Chelsey 17; Butac,Tiffany 16; Monda,Kathleen 13; Given,Alyssa 11; Ralph,Katie 9