ASU sand volleyball (3-7) was able to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss and edge past Boise State (0-2) 3-2 for its first home win of the season.
The Sun Devils started out strong. The team’s No. 2 pair of graduate student Bethany Jorgensen and senior Jordy Checkal took their second win of the weekend against freshman Sierra Nobley and sophomore Sarah Baugh in two sets, both 21-15. This was their second win of the weekend and they now stand 4-6.
Boise State tied it up as sophomore Kaitlyn Oliver and freshman Maddi Osburn gave ASU’s No. 4’s, junior Whitney Follette and freshman Halle Harker, their second loss of the weekend, after a tough three sets.
Harker and Follette lost the first set 21-15 and then turned around and dominated the second 21-12. They had much more synergy Thursday night but Boise State had a nearly perfect third set winning 15-12, taking home the match. This was Follette and Harker’s second loss in a row leaving them 4-6.
Next up was Sun Devils’ No. 3 pair, sophomore Kizzy Willey and freshman Sydney Palmer. The two came out very strong and dominated junior Aly Duffin and sophomore Katelyn Kinghorn 21-8. The Broncos put up a strong fight in the long second set but Sun Devils pulled out a 27-25 win, taking the lead 2-1. Their win Thursday leaves the two with a even record of 5-5.
Again, Boise State was there to tie it up 2-2 as sophomore Laney Hayes and junior Taylor Murphey dominated ASU No. 5’s, redshirt freshman Kwyn Johnson and sophomore Mia Rivera, 21-13 in the first set. Johnson and Rivera gave a strong effort in the second set but were not able to force a third after falling 25-27.
This was Johnson and Rivera’s first game as a pair this season as they replaced freshman Frances Giedraitis and junior Andi Lowrance as the No. 5 pair Thursday.
It was down to the No.1 pair, juniors Bianca Arellano and Macey Gardner, to push ASU ahead for the win. They made a comeback try, but ended up dropping their first set against redshirt freshman Hannah Hubbard and sophomore Maddy O’Donnell, 21-19. The two turned around taking the early lead and forcing a third set with 21-19 win.
Down to the last set, everyone’s eyes were on Arellano and Gardner, who were looking to get their first win of the weekend, and that’s exactly what they did, dominated their third set 15-6, pushing ASU ahead 3-2 for the win. With their win Thursdays, the No. 1 pair still has the best record on the team, going 7-3.
The Sun Devils defeated the Broncos 3-2 for their first home win of the season and third total.
ASU finishes off its weekend Saturday with two games against USC at 3 p.m. and New Mexico at 5 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kewens@asu.edu or follow @katlynewens on Twitter.
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