SEATTLE – It was just a few days ago when a back-and-forth second set against one nationally-ranked team didn't go the way of the Seattle Pacific Falcons.
On Thursday night against another nationally-ranked team, it did.
Tangling with No. 18 Simon Fraser, SPU came from 24-21, 26-25 and 27-26 down to take Set 2, then went on to complete a three-set sweep of the Red Leafs in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball match.
Scores inside Brougham Pavilion were 25-20, 29-27, 25-20.
Last Saturday in Ellensburg against then-No. 21 Central Washington, the Wildcats pulled out a 39-37 win in the second set on the way to completing a three-set sweep.
On Thursday, sophomore outside hitter
Megan Omlid led the Falcons (11-5, 6-2 GNAC, and receiving votes in this week's AVCA national coaches poll) with 16 kills. Freshman setter
Peyton Ensign racked up a double-career high double-double of 34 assists and 17 digs.
SPU dealt Simon Fraser (10-4, 7-1 GNAC) its first conference loss.
FROM COACH JASON RHINE
"We were ready to battle back and forth. That second set could have gone either way, and it's the one they needed to take it to four (sets)," Rhine said. "We were excited to take the win, for sure."
Last Saturday's long 39-37 second set at Central – in which the Wildcats had 10 tries at set point and the Falcons had seven – did come up in the conversation.
"We talked about that during the huddle and even before when (Simon Fraser) called that first timeout," Rhine said, "We said this could be just like that Central set. We played a lot of high-intensity points during that set and it could have gone either way. I thought the team did a really good job of responding well and stayed aggressive at the end of that set when it could have been a tight moment. We found some good chances."
SPU's defensive effort stood out to Rhine.
"
Christina Lopez always does a good job of taking care of that area on her side. Peyton and our middle backs figured out what shots were working for the other team and tried to get in spots a little better in Sets 2 and 3. Even our people near the net were being ready for tips and what we talked about in the scouting report."
HOW IT HAPPENED
--SPU fell behind 9-4 in the first set, then went on a 10-4 scoring run to edge in front, 14-13.
--From there, the set was tied five more times, the last one at 18-18. A 6-1 run gave the Falcons a 24-19 lead. Simon Fraser got one point back before sophomore middle blocker
Audra Rose slammed a kill that was dug up wide to close out the set.
--Seattle Pacific led by as many as three points in Set 2 at 15-12. The Red Leafs took a 21-19 lead, saw the Falcons climb back into a 21-21 tie, then went up triple-set point at 24-21.
--A kill by junior opposite
Amaya Evans, a tip by Omlid and a kill by Omlid tied it at 24-24. Freshman outside hitter
Charlotte Hastings then delivered a service ace for a 25-24 lead.
--Simon went up 26-25, then Evans saved that set point with a kill. The Leafs gained another set point at 27-26. Then an attack by Omlid was blocked wide for 27-27, a tip by Rose made it 28-27, then Omlid attacked again and the Leafs again blocked it wide for the clinching point and a 2-0 set lead.
--SPU strung together six straight points in Set 3 to turn a 6-6 tie into a 12-6 lead. Simon Fraser responded with three straight points to get within 12-9 and SPU answered with four in a row for 16-9.
--The closest it got after that was 21-18. A Red Leafs attack error, a service ace by Omlid and another Simon attack error stretched it to 24-18. On the Falcons' third try at match point at 24-20, a kill by sophomore outside
Maiya Lester closed the door.
FROM SOPHOMORE SETTER PEYTON ENSIGN
"We were all prepared and super-excited to come out really strong and bring the energy and we did," the sophomore setter said. "Our last match at Central, we had a really high-scoring match and that definitely prepared us. We knew we could be steady and finish strong, and we did."
Ensign said that second-set comeback certainly factored into how the third set played out.
"Going into the third. We kept our calm energy," she said. "We came out strong and finished strong, and that was great.
FROM THE BOX SCORE
--The Falcons hit .183 for the math (44 kills-21 errors-126 attacks). Their best set of the night was the first at .258 when they had 11 kills and just two errors on their final 24 attacks of the set after starting out at 2-3-7—minus .143.
--The defense came up big with 53 digs, several of which kept the ball alive on what seemed like certain kills for the Red Leafs. Simon Fraser had just 33 kills and hit .084 (33-23-119).
--Along with Ensign's 17 digs, senior libero
Christina Lopez came up with 13, along with seven assists and two service aces.
--Lester had 10 kills for the Falcons.
--Rose had three of SPU's seven total blocks, including the only solo of the night.
--Brooklyn Robinson led the Leafs with 12 kills.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
--The three blocks by Rose
(photo left) kept her season average at exactly 1.0 per set. She now has 61 blocks for the season with 12 solos. She is well ahead of last year's total of 40 blocks (0.58 per set).
--The last Falcon to finish a season at more than 1.0 per set was Hannah Hair at an NCAA Division II-leading 1.53 in 2024.
--Lopez' two service aces keeps her in the team lead with 23 for the season.
--This was Simon Fraser's last visit to Brougham Pavilion as member of the GNAC. The school is leaving the conference after this academic year and returning the Canada West Conference in that country's U SPORTS organization.
UP NEXT
The Falcons wrap up the first half of GNAC play on Saturday when the take on
Western Washington at 2:00 p.m. in Brougham Pavilion.
