Seattle Pacific University Athletics

         This story will be updated after 10:00 p.m. match vs. Chaminade

HONOLULU – Audra Rose just couldn't miss on Friday afternoon – much to the delight of the Seattle Pacific Falcons.
 
The sophomore middle blocker had a zero-errors offensive performance with 10 kills plus four blocks, junior Amaya Evans slammed 14 kills onto the court, and SPU made it two straight victories in the Hawaii Challenge volleyball tournament by beating Hawaii Hilo, 3-1.
 
Scores inside Hawaii Pacific's Shark Tank were 25-21, 25-18, 9-25, 25-20.
 
The outcome extended an early-season winning streak to three for Seattle Pacific (4-2).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
--For just the second time in six matches this season, the Falcons were fast out of the blocks as they took the opening set.
--Down 8-6, they took command with a 9-0 scoring burst, the last eight of those with sophomore Megan Omlid on the serve. Junior outside hitter Joslyn Greff had three kills, junior middle Brooke Williams had a kill, a solo block, and a combined block with Evans, and Evans also had a kill. The other two points came off Hilo attack errors.
--The lead grew to as large as eight points at 21-13 before the Vulcans (5-3) twice came as close as three at 23-20 and 24-21. A kill by Rose finished off the set.
--Midway through the second set, SPU used a 7-0 run to turn a 13-9 deficit into a 16-13 lead, then scored five of the final six points to secure a two-set advantage.
--Except for a 1-1 tie, the third set was all Hawaii Hilo. The Vulcans were up 6-3, put the next three points on the board and the Falcons never came closer than five after that.
--SPU was down 8-7 in Set 4 when it strung together six straight points to go in front for good at 13-8. A 16-10 lead gradually melted down to just two at 20-18. Kills by Williams and sophomore hitter Maiya Lester plus a Hilo error stretched it back to a more comfortable margin of five at 23-18 before the teams traded the last four points to close out the contest.
 
FROM THE BOX SCORE
--Seattle Pacific had by far its best hitting match of the season, finishing at .347 (52 kills-10 errors-121 attacks). The Falcons hit 351 in the first set, .500 in the second, and 367 in the fourth.
--Rose finished with a season-high .714 hitting percentage, getting her 10 kills on 14 attacks. Her previous high was .600 in the season-opener against Concordia Irvine when had 10 kills and just one error on 15 attacks.
--Of Rose's four blocks, one was a solo.
 

--Evans and Williams were both in the .400s: Evans got her 14 kills on .458 hitting, and Williams hit .455 with seven kills.
--Williams also had six of SPU's 17 total blocks, including two solos.
--Greff finished with 11 kills on .321 hitting.
--Omlid also had an error-free hitting day with six kills on 29 attacks (.207). She also had a team-leading 10 digs.
--Sophomore setter Peyton Ensign led the way with 24 assists.
--Hawaii Hilo also had a respectable hitting performance with 60 kills on a .273 percentage.
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
--The last time the Falcons topped .300 hitting was last Nov. 8 at home against Montana State Billings when it finished at .345.
--With just 10 errors on Friday, that bettered the previous season low of 13 last Friday against Cal State San Bernardino.
--SPU's 17 total blocks (three solos) tied the season high set against Concordia Irvine on Aug. 27.
 
UP NEXT
The Falcons will be back in action this evening against Chaminade in the Silverswords' McCabe Gym. The first serve is set for 10:00 p.m. Pacific time.