It could not have been scripted better.
It was game point, when ASU volleyball took on UA on Senior Night.
The ball was set to senior outside hitter Malia Bachynski and Wells Fargo Arena erupted when Bachynski smacked the ball to the ground, winning the match.
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter Ashley Kastl said they wanted to win this game for their seniors and it was amazing to see Bachynski get the last point.
“That was the most outstanding thing ever when she got that kill,” Kastl said. “I was so happy for her. That’s how you go out as a senior.”
Senior middle blocker Sonja Markanovich and Bachynski had never beaten their bitter rival UA. Defeating the tournament-bound Wildcats showed how much the Sun Devils have improved.
Freshman outside hitter Nora Tuioti-Mariner said that beating the rival meant a lot to the entire team.
“In the beginning of the whole match we were all just pissed off, it’s UA, it’s our rival,” Tuioti-Mariner said. “We wanted to put everything out on the court.”
ASU started off their final match of the season slow. They could not really get any offense going in the opening serves. The Sun Devils finished the opening set hitting .047 and UA took the first set 25-20.
Then after making some adjustments the Sun Devils came out firing. They went on to take the next two sets and were one win away from winning the match.
Coach Jason Watson said it was really important to take the match in the fourth set.
“That fifth game has not been kind to us,” Watson said. “The fifth game is a flat out sprint so anything can happen. It is nice to close it out in four and then you do not have to rely on that game five.”
ASU knew that UA was going to come out tough in the final set. The Wildcats were down to their last set and wanted to push the match to five games.
UA jumped out to 9-4 lead to start the fourth set and it looked like it was going to a five game match.
But the Sun Devils stayed composed and did not let the Wildcats get out to a huge lead.
The Sun Devils greatest run came late in the game. With UA up 22-18, only three points away from victory, the ASU offense came alive.
A fantastic block by Kastl brought the Sun Devils within one at 22-21. Then block created some momentum that gave the Sun Devils confidence that this was their match.
“No block was bigger than Ashley Kastl’s there in game four,” Watson said. “I think that turned the tide emotionally for us. It got us back into it.”
ASU finished the night with 13 team blocks. Watson said that the team really improved their blocks and defense against UA’s left side hitters since the last time the teams faced off. That was a huge factor in the victory.
Once the Wildcats hit 23 points the Sun Devils never let them score again and won the set 25-23. ASU took the match 3-1.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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