Freshman outside hitter Macey Gardner crouches for a dig during the ASU Sheraton Invitational on Sept. 14 through 15. (Photo by Kyle Newman)
By defeating California 3-2 on Sunday, the ASU volleyball team finally got its first conference road win of the season after dropping its first six matches outside of Tempe.
The match did not get off to the start that the Sun Devils (15-10, 4-8 Pac-12) were hoping for, as California (11-11, 5-7 Pac-12) got out to a huge 14-5 lead. Errors put ASU in the hole early, but not out of the game. The Sun Devils used the high-powered combo of freshman outside hitter Macey Gardner and senior outside hitter Erica Wilson to get the team right back into the game.
ASU worked the game back to a tie at 19-19, and exchanged points with California until a kill from Gardner and an error from the Golden Bears helped the Sun Devils take the first set 25-23.
The second set was another tough battle between the two teams, featuring 11 ties in the set alone. The set was tied at 23-23 until a block and kill from California gave the Golden Bears the second game to tie the match.
It appeared as if the break did the Sun Devils good, as they came out firing in the third set. Attacking at a percentage of .500 in the third set, ASU rolled to a 25-18 win to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
California answered right back in the fourth set and never gave up the lead en route to a 25-13 win.
In a tough fifth set, neither team let the other gain ground, keeping the set close the entire way. Back-to-back kills from Wilson gave the Sun Devils the set (16-14) and their first Pac-12 road win this season with a 3-2 victory.
“It was a tough win,” coach Jason Watson said. “Cal is a good team. I think it’s a big win because Cal is good, and I think it’s a big win because it’s a road win, and they’re not easy to come by.”
Stanford downs Sun Devils
The Sun Devils were hoping to get their first road win of the season when they took on No. 2 Stanford Friday night.
It seemed like a bit of a lofty goal for ASU, who was looking for a huge road upset against the Cardinal (20-2, 12-0 Pac-12).
Stanford built a comfortable lead that it would maintain throughout the set, before closing out the Sun Devils, 25-15.
The second set was a different story for ASU, as the Sun Devils came out and stayed right with Stanford. ASU even jumped out to an early 9-5 lead.
The Cardinal would eventually come back to tie the game up at 15-15, but three service aces from freshman outside hitter Whitney Follette gave ASU back the lead once and for all. The Sun Devils closed out the Cardinal, 25-19, tying the match at 1-1.
It appeared as if momentum was on the Sun Devils’ side, as they took an early 7-3 lead in the third set. Stanford wouldn’t back down, rallying to tie the game at 10-10. Keeping the momentum going, the Cardinal built a seven-point lead to put ASU in a 19-12 hole. Stanford wouldn’t take its foot off the gas, taking the third set 25-16 to take a 2-1 lead over ASU.
The Sun Devils fought through the fourth set and battled with Stanford for most of the set. ASU got as close as two points when it was down 21-19. Stanford would hold on to the lead, taking the set 25-20 to hand the Sun Devils their sixth consecutive road loss.
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
