Senior libero Stephanie Preach focuses before serving during ta game at home in Tempe. The Sun Devils lost against Utah in four sets. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)
The NCAA tournament outlook has changed significantly for the ASU volleyball team.
The Sun Devils (17-11, 6-10 Pac-12) fell in four sets at home on Sunday, 25-22, 24-26, 21-25, 19-25, to the Utah Utes (18-10, 7-9 Pac-12), despite a career night from freshman outside hitter BreElle Bailey.
Coach Jason Watson said the Sun Devils failed to control the serve receive battle.
“What’s disappointing is that we lost the serve receive battle in our gym,” Watson said. “This is a skill that we spend an enormous amount of time on.”
Bailey recorded 24 kills, a career-high, on 47 attempts in the loss, but said she wasn’t pleased with the outcome.
“That many kills is nice, but when you lose, it doesn’t really matter,” Bailey said. “I could have done more.”
Regardless, Bailey clicked well with sophomore setter Bianca Arellano, who was playing in just her second game back from injury.
“Me and (Arellano) were connecting really well, and we’ve been practicing our tempo and practice and we finally found one that works for the both of us,” Bailey said. “That just showed on the court.”
Sophomore middle blocker Whitney Follette, whose career high is four service aces, had three aces in the middle of an 8-0 run to catapult ASU ahead of Utah in set one. Outside hitters freshman BreElle Bailey and sophomore Macey Gardner both totaled six kills in set one, helping ASU to win 25-22.
Utah, the Pac-12’s second-best blocking team, totaled just one team block in the first set. But the Utes came alive in set two, blocking the Sun Devils three straight times to close out the set 26-24. ASU had set point at 24-23 but sophomore outside hitter Macey Gardner erred out.
“We, for some reason, tried to push (Garnder) a lot faster than she needed to be pushed,” Watson said. “There’s nothing else that she can do.”
After set two, however, ASU started struggling in serve receive game. Follette’s three aces were the only three for the match.
“With the exception of game one, and maybe some stages of game two, we didn’t really put any sustained pressure on them from the service line,” Watson said. “They were in system an enormous amount.”
Tensions were running high in the third set after several questionable calls by the officials. Utah won set three 25-21 and ran away with the final set 25-19.
The Utes, who blocked the Sun Devils 17.5 times in their first matchup on Oct. 24, blocked ASU 11 times Sunday.
“We know that they’re a great blocking team, and we didn’t adjust like we wanted to tonight,” Bailey said. “I think we could have maybe managed the game a little better.”
ASU travels to Southern California on Friday to face UCLA and No. 4 USC on Sunday.
Additional Game Notes
-Watson believes that the Sun Devils will have to win three of four to feel good going into Selection Sunday for the NCAA tournament. “It’s been such a rollercoaster with this crew that nothing surprises me,” Watson said. “I think if we get in this year we could be the last team. I don’t know if splits are going to get you in the rest of the way.”
-Bailey and freshman opposite hitter Kizzy Willey are both from Utah. “It’s always a little frustrating because I played club against and with some of these Utah girls and I know some of them really well personally,” Bailey said. “It’s always tough to lose to your home state.”
-Utah's freshman libero Tess Sutton recorded a career-high 23 digs in the victory.
Reach the reporter at bmargiot@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @BenMargiott.
