With more than 3,000 fans packed inside Wells Fargo Arena, the ASU volleyball team hosted No. 23 UA in yet another competitive Territorial Cup Series match, but couldn’t finish with a win.
The Sun Devils (10-13, 4-6 Pac-10) fought the Wildcats (16-7, 5-5) in an intense five-set battle, but in the end UA was too much as it dealt ASU a 3-2 loss Friday night by set scores of 22-25, 25-15, 13-25, 25-17 and 10-15.
Although a trio of ASU outside hitters including senior Sarah Reaves, freshman Danica Mendivil and sophomore Malia Marquardt powered the offense with 17 kills each, a poor passing game haunted the Sun Devils throughout the match.
“For sure, our inability to pass [and] serve — that’s what we have to beat,” ASU coach Jason Watson said. “We’re not going to out–physical; we know that, we practice that. We just were not good at [passing] for an extended period of time.”
It was a back and forth battle from the start with 17 tie scores and nine lead changes in the opening set. UA senior outside hitter Tiffany Owens smacked six kills to give UA the 1-0 lead.
Faced with an early deficit, the Sun Devils were down, but not out.
“We always say we are here as long as it takes,” freshman libero Jenny Teslevich said. “So even if we are down, it doesn’t matter. We are going to stay here until we win. That’s what our mindset was the whole time.”
With senior libero Sarah Johnson back to serve for ASU, the Sun Devils came out firing to open the second set. With kills from Mendivil and sophomore middle blocker Erica Wilson, ASU jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
At 24-15, Teslevich passed to setter Cat Highmark who set to Wilson. Wilson didn’t disappoint, as she nailed the kill to claim the 25-15 set win and even the match at 1-1.
The Sun Devils saw the benefits of a slightly improved passing game in their second set victory.
“When we get good passes, we can spread the offense,” Wilson said. “When we get good passes, Cat [Highmark] can give us a good set, and then put it away.”
The Sun Devils could not duplicate their momentum in the third set as the Wildcats exploded for the 25-13 set win.
UA looked to seal its victory in set four, but ASU was not finished yet. Led by Marquardt’s six kills and .857 attack percentage, ASU dominated the fourth set 25-17.
The final frame saw Owens hammer eight kills for UA to put the Sun Devils away.
“I thought the outcome of each of the games came down to which team passed well,” Watson said. “Clearly the beginning of game five, if anything, that was the skill. I thought we played better in game five, and we just ran out of time. That’s the brutality of volleyball.”
Following the rivalry match, ASU traveled to Riverside, Calif., for its final non-conference match of the season on Sunday.
For the second time this season, ASU swept the Highlanders (2-23) 3-0 with set scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 25-19. Sophomore middle blocker Alexis Pinson smashed 11 kills and seven blocks for the Sun Devils.
An improved passing attack significantly benefited ASU’s offensive output.
“We passed very well,” freshman setter Stephanie Preach said. “We stayed on task pretty well I thought. We definitely got everyone involved today, it was very spread.”
The second half of Pac-10 play continues for the Sun Devils next weekend when they return to Wells Fargo Arena to host Oregon State and Oregon.
Reach the reporter at gregory.dillard@asu.edu
