Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

ASU volleyball defeats USC in LA for first time in 18 years

Sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey attacks the ball in a match against Pepperdine on Sept. 20, 2014, in Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Mario Mendez)
Sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey attacks the ball in a match against Pepperdine on Sept. 20, 2014, in Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Mario Mendez)

Sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey attacks the ball in a match against Pepperdine on Sept. 20, 2014, in Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Mario Mendez) Sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey attacks the ball in a match against Pepperdine on Sept. 20, 2014, in Wells Fargo Arena. (Photo by Mario Mendez)

After not winning a single set against USC in the two matches last season, and not defeating the Trojans in Los Angeles since 1995, ASU went into Galen Center and defeated the No. 9 Trojans 3-1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-20).

USC’s junior outside hitter Samantha Bricio was a main concern heading in to match. She has been one of the best servers in the nation through the last couple years and had 37 coming into the match.

Briciio served a pair of aces, but she also finished with four serving errors. This is more than the entire ASU team hit combined (three for the Sun Devils).

ASU was able to match USC’s physical play well. Only two Trojan players broke the 10 kill plateau: Bricio, who had 22, and sophomore outside hitter Ebony Nwanebu, who had 11.

ASU junior outside hitter Macey Gardner led the Sun Devils with 27 kills. Senior middle blocker Mercedes Binns added 14, and sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey had 12 kills on a .423 hitting percentage.

ASU won the dig battle, a stat that’s plagued them in their last two losses. Five ASU players recorded double-digit kills. Freshman libero Halle Harker led the match with 21, while junior setter Bianca Arellano had a double-double with 10 digs and 55 assists.

Arellano finished the two-match weekend with 116 assists. Gardner had 57 kills in the span.

Redshirt junior middle blocker Andi Lowrance received playing time in place of the injured junior middle blocker Whitney Follette (appendix). Lowrance finished the match with eight kills on just 13 attempts. She had a team high six block assists.

Sophomore libero Mia Mazon and redshirt freshman libero Genevieve Pirotte have been trading off playing time the last few matches, and Mia received all the time in this evening’s four sets. She didn’t hit any aces, but she also didn’t make any errors. She had a dig.

ASU evened their in-conference record at 1-1 after the first weekend of Pac-12 play. Last season, after starting 1-1, the Sun Devils lost eight of their next nine matches. They'll try to keep momentum from this USC match as they go into practice for Colorado and Utah next week.

ASU coach Jason Watson was unavailable for comment after the game.

 

Reach the reporter at Logan.newman@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Logan_Newsman

Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.


Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.

Subscribe to Pressing Matters



×

Notice

This website uses cookies to make your experience better and easier. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.