Junior middle blocker Mercedes Binns makes blocks an attack against North Carolina Central University on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe. The Sun Devils swept the Eagles 3-0. (Photo by Ben Moffat)There’s something about No. 5 Washington that ASU just can’t figure out. For the second time this season, the Sun Devils got shut out by the Huskies (19-25, 11-25, 19-25), and it wasn’t close.
ASU put up very little resistance defensively. The team totaled only 38 digs, and nobody broke the double-digit mark. Senior middle blocker Mercedes Binns did have six assisted blocks, but three of them came late in the third set when Washington had already taken a 22-13 lead.
This came a week after ASU appeared to be getting stronger on defense, and one match after they accumulated 81 digs predominately from four players with double-digits.
Today, the Sun Devils couldn’t stop Washington’s attack. Senior outside hitter Krista Vansant led the Huskies with 15 kills on 27 attempts and only made two errors. She hit .481.
This high hitting percentage looked miniscule next to the attack of junior middle blocker Melanie Wade. She had 10 kills on 11 attempts and made no errors. She hit an astounding 90.9 percent.
This was the polar opposite of ASU’s offense. Those two Washington hitters combined for 25 kills while ASU's entire team had 28.
Washington hit a whopping .376; ASU hit .090. Junior outside hitter Macey Gardner had 11 kills for the Sun Devils, but she made eight errors and had 32 attempts. She was barely above ASU’s average, hitting .094.
After a few games of solid play, sophomore outside hitter BreElle Bailey reverted back to the slump that’s plagued her over the last two months. She had two kills and six errors on 17 attempts, good for a -.235 hitting percentage.
Freshman setter Madison McDaniel has never been known for her attacking abilities, but she showcased perhaps her worst match of the season.
On 10 attempts, McDaniel had no kills and two errors. She has become a defensive specialist, particularly at the net, but today she had no blocks and was the only Sun Devil without a dig.
ASU only had one serve error, but they had very few chances to serve in relation to the attempts they normally have.
Overall, the match was an slaughter. In the first set, ASU actually kept the match extremely close, taking a 17-16 lead before dropping the next five points on two Vansant kills, a Wade kill and an error each from Gardner and Bailey.
ASU fell behind 10-8 in the second set and watched Washington close the match on a 15-3 run. Washington only had three attacking errors in the entire set.
The Huskies didn’t give ASU any wiggle room until late in the third set. Trailing 22-11, ASU went on a 7-0 run. They finally looked like a strong team, getting three blocks in the process (all by Bailey and Binns), and did not err offensively.
Serve receipt has proven to be ASU’s enemy, though. Vansant hit an ace and ASU’s momentum was halted immediately. They fell 25-19.
ASU split the weekend again, and though they look to have already won a spot in the NCAA tournament, it likely will not be an ideal ranking. With only two matches remaining in the season, ASU will look to bounce back and help itself come tournament time.
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Logan_Newsman
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