SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific University women's volleyball team pushed eighth-ranked Simon Fraser to its limits on Saturday afternoon, but the Red Leafs found a way to get past the Falcons in 3-2 (25-14, 25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 17-25).

FROM THE COACH
"Rollercoaster of a match emotionally for the athletes and the fans and the coaches," head coach Jason Rhine said. Really impressed by the team's ability to hang in there against a great opponent and persist in figuring out how to slow them down and work our way back into the match. We executed well in sets three and four by finding some big blocks and also being more aggressive on the offensive side. It felt like the match came down to a couple of tape serves and inches on a couple of swings that could've gone either way. It is a heartbreaking way to lose a close set five, but it also shows the level at which our athletes are able to compete. Excited for them to build off of today and keep growing as a group."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons were on the wrong side of a 19-5 run from the Red Leafs that led to a 25-14 set victory for the visitors.
• The Red Leafs opened the second set on a 12-5 run and went on to take it 25-18.
• SPU trailed 17-13 in the third set before going on a 13-6 run to earn it 25-23.
  • Madelyn Benjamin, Megan Omlid, Amaya Evans, and Joslyn Greff led the group with two kills each during that span.
• The Falcons used a 7-5 to close out the fourth set, led by two kills from Evans, to take it 25-22.
• The Falcons led 12-9 in the deciding set, but the Red Leafs pulled off an 8-3 run to take the set 17-15 and the match 3-2.

FROM THE BOX SCORE

• Omlid led the Falcons with 14 kills while adding 10 digs for a double-double.
• Greff accrued 13 kills for the Falcons on Saturday.
• Evans had 13 kills on a .281 hitting percentage while adding three block assists.
• Sophia Chambers led the Falcons with 23 assists, while adding 16 digs for a double-double.
• Peyton Ensign had 19 assists and 11 digs for a double-double for SPU.
• Four Falcons had double-digit digs against the Red Leafs.
  • Christina Lopez led the group with 16 digs.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Omlid recorded her 13th double-double for the Falcons this season.
• Chambers recorded her fifth double-double of the season for the Falcons.
• Ensign set a new career high in assists (19) and digs (11) against the Red Leafs on Saturday.

UP NEXT
The Falcons travel to Central Washington on Thursday, Oct. 30, for a match at 7:00 p.m., followed by a match at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 1:00 p.m.

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