(El Paso, TX) Two more career highs and all three pin hitters in double figures upheld Sun Devil Volleyball’s perfect start to the 2023 season after the team beat San Francisco in four sets (25-14, 26-28, 25-20, 25-18) on Saturday morning as part of the Borderland Invitational.
Notable Stats
Arizona State improved to 5-0, the best start to an ASU season since 2015 (15-0). This is the best start to a season by a new Sun Devil head coach in JJ Van Niel.
Fifth-year senior setter Shannon Shields had a career-high 52 assists in the win, surpassing her previous best of 50 earned last season at Oregon State. This was her second match ever reaching 50-plus assists, sixth match in her career with 40 or more. She also had six digs, three blocks, two kills and an ace.
Senior right side Marta Levinska led all players with 20 kills, a season high for the lefty, on a .436 clip. It was the ninth time in her career earning 20 or more kills. She moved up to 15th in the record book for career kills, now at 1,085, passing Sue Nord (1986-89). Additionally, she extended her streak of matches with double-digit kills to 17 in a row (dating back to last season).
The two outside hitters both reached double figures in kills as well. Besting her high from yesterday’s match, senior Roberta Rabelo notched 16 kills, hitting .364. Matching her career high set in the season opener was junior Geli Cyr, who also had six digs.
On defense, graduate libero Mary Shroll earned a season-high 18 digs in the win. It was her second time in double figures this season. She also had five assists.
Graduate middle blocker Maddie McLaughlin matched her personal best of six blocks in the match. She also had eight kills on a .467 clip.
Two Sun Devil middle blockers made their collegiate debuts. Freshman Hokulani Perez started the first match for her first appearance, tallying three kills and a block. Sophomore Olivia Johnson made her debut in the third set, getting a kill and a block.
Sophomore defensive specialist hit a new season high in digs with nine.
Set One: ASU 25, USF 15
The Sun Devils created some separation in the first set on a 6-0 run that saw a kill from Rabelo and McLaughlin to make it 9-4. ASU did not look back, extending the lead to 14-8 after a kill from Cyr. Arizona State didn’t go on any long runs in the back half of the set, but the runs or two or three and siding out were able to get it done, 25-15.
Set Two: USF 28, ASU 26
San Francisco responded in the second frame, playing in front for almost the entire set. Arizona State would get within one, but USF would sideout to keep the lead. Down by four, the Sun Devils scored three in a row to make it a 16-15 deficit, but again the Dons were able to hold them off. Rabelo’s kill at the end of a 3-0 run finally tied it up at 21-21, and another run of three got ASU to set point, 24-22. A service error gave the Dons the chance to start their own 3-0 run to take the 25-24 lead and extra points. After a few points back and forth, USF won 28-26.
Set Three: ASU 25, USF 20
The third frame was competitive, with ASU holding the lead for the entirety of the set. The Sun Devils went on a 6-1 run with two aces from Levinska to make it 8-4. The Dons tied it up on 14-14 after an error, and again at 15-15. Three in a row and another ace from Levinska pushed the lead back up to 18-15. Arizona State held off San Francisco with five kills from four different players, taking it 25-20.
Set Four: ASU 25, USF 18
Similar to the third, the fourth set saw the Sun Devils with the lead. The start of the set was close until the ASU lead surged to four at 9-5 after a block from Perez and Levinska. A 3-0 run later pushed the advantage to 12-8 after some Don errors. With a kill from Levinska, it became 19-11. A late 5-1 run from USF held off match point, but McLaughlin’s kill sealed the win.
Up Next
Arizona State will close out the Borderland Invitational on Sunday at New Mexico State to face the home team Aggies at 12 p.m. MST/1 p.m. MDT. There will be live stats but no live stream.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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