(Los Angeles, CA) After a marathon first set, No. 15 Sun Devil Volleyball stepped on the gas and swept UCLA (31-29, 25-11. 25-13) in Pauley Pavilion on Friday night for the 10th Pac-12 win.
Notable Stats
Arizona State improved to 22-3, 10-3 Pac-12, reaching double-digit conference wins for the first time since 1999. The most ASU has ever had is 13 (1993, 1986). This is the 10th season with double-digit conference wins.
This was the first win at UCLA (13-10, 5-8 Pac-12) since 2013 and the first season series sweep over the Bruins since 1995. For the first time since 1982 and just the second time ever, ASU has swept both matches in a single season against UCLA.
ASU got the 16th sweep of the season, the most in a single season in program history.
The 31-29 first set was the longest that ASU has played this season. It was the sixth time the Sun Devils have gone to extra points.
Senior opposite Marta Levinska led all players with 14 kills to move into eighth place in the ASU record book for career kills, now at 1,392.
Senior middle blocker Claire Jeter had a strong offensive night, collecting 10 kills on a .667 clip, her best hitting percentage of the season.
With her seven double-double of the year, graduate setter Shannon Shields notched 38 assists and 10 digs in the win. She also matched her season high with five kills, her third match this year reaching that number.
The serve and pass game went in favor of the Sun Devils as they had eight aces and allowed no aces. Graduate libero Mary Shroll led the team with four aces (tied her career high), with junior outside hitter Geli Cyr right behind her with three, which also tied her personal best (all in the third set).
On defense, Shroll led the way with 11, followed by Shields’ 10. Junior Shania Cromartie matched her season high of eight digs.
The offense was balanced in the win. Along with Levinska and Jeter in double figures, Cyr and Roberta Rabelo each had eight kills in the winning effort.
Set One: ASU 31, UCLA 29
The first set started off back and forth, neither able to create much separation until UCLA scored six in a row to take the 12-9 lead. Arizona State responded with a 5-1 run that saw an ace from Shroll to get back ahead, 14-13. Following three-straight points from the Bruins, a kill from Jeter on the slide got the sideout, down 19-18. A few big plays from Rabelo (a solo block and a kill) kept ASU fighting, the kill putting the team up 22-21. After a timeout from the Sun Devils, they came out strong with kills from Levinska and Jeter to get to set point, 24-23. The back and forth would continue into extra points, kills from all three pins in overtime keeping the fight alive. Finally, ASU won 31-29 with an error from UCLA. This was the longest set the Sun Devils have played this season.
Set Two: ASU 25, UCLA 11
Arizona State came out of the gate swinging and did not look back. The team opened with a 4-0 run with two kills each from Maddie McLaughlin and Levinska. Later, ASU scored six in a row to put the lead to 12-3, a run that saw kills from four different Sun Devils. Back-to-back blocks from McLaughlin aided a 4-0 run to make it 18-7. Finally, two errors from the home team finished the set, giving ASU the 25-11 win.
Set Three: ASU 25, UCLA 13
The second set also saw Arizona State get up big early, jumping out to an early 4-1 lead. Three in a row with kills from Jeter and Shields made it an 8-3 advantage. The lead moved to 13-5 after ASU scored four in a row. The serving from Cyr put the set firmly out of reach after she had two aces to spark a 5-0 run, getting to set point at 24-12. A kill from Rabelo completed the sweep, 25-13.
Up Next
Arizona State will close out the weekend at USC on Sunday. The match will be at 2 p.m. PST/3 p.m. MST and will be on the Pac-12 Network.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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