(Tucson, AZ) Sweeping their rivals for the second time this season, No. 18 Sun Devil Volleyball took care of business down south, beating Arizona in straight sets (25-19, 25-22, 25-20) on Saturday.
Notable Stats
Arizona State improves to 26-6 on the season and finishes its final season in the Pac-12 with a 14-6 mark. The 14 conference wins are the most in a single season in ASU history.
The Sun Devils completed the season sweep over the Wildcats (8-23, 3-17 Pac-12), the first time doing so since 2019. This is the first time sweeping them twice in the same season since 2007, doing so for the third time ever (also 1982).
This was the 18th sweep of the season for the Sun Devils, extending the program-best record for three-set wins in a season.
Senior opposite Marta Levinska led the team in kills with 12, improving her double-digit kills streak to 17 in a row.
Three Sun Devils notched eight digs for a well-rounded offense: Claire Jeter, Geli Cyrand Roberta Rabelo. Jeter hit .615 and led the team with five blocks.
On defense, Cyr and graduate libero Mary Shroll both had double-digit digs. Shroll led the team with 13, extending her streak of double-digit digs to 10 in a row. For Cyr, this was her fourth match in a row in double figures, notching 10. Graduate setter Shannon Shields had 30 assists in the win, adding four kills as well.
Freshman Jillian Neal continued her streak of hot serving, earning three tonight. This is her second match in a row with three or more aces.
Set One: ASU 25, Arizona 19
The Sun Devils took an early 6-4 advantage in the opening set thanks to a service ace by Neal. From there ASU scored 10 of the next 15 points to hold a 17-10 lead, forcing a timeout from the home team. With Shroll serving, ASU scored four in a row, including another ace for the team, to get to set point, 24-15 The Wildcats made a late push with a 5-0 run to get within five, but a tip kill from Jeter out of the Sun Devil timeout won the set, 25-19.
Set Two: ASU 25, Arizona 22
With kills from Levinska and Rabelo, ASU jumped out to a 3-0 lead to start the second set. Arizona scored four in a row to go up 7-6 before Arizona State called a timeout and McLaughlin got the kill out of the break. Three Wildcat errors aided a 4-0 Sun Devil run to go up 11-9. After trading three-point runs, Rabelo’s kill and Neal’s ace pushed the lead to 19-16. Arizona again made a push late in the set, but ASu closed it out, winning off of an error by the home team.
Set Three: ASU 25, Arizona 20
The third frame was close to start, neither team able to put together a run. A 7-2 Sun Devil run that saw kills from Jeter and Cyr made it 15-13 in favor of ASU at the media timeout. Errors from the Wildcats widened the gap and an ace from Cyr pushed the lead to 19-15. Finally, another kill from Cyr won it 25-20, completing the sweep.
Up Next
The Selection Show for the NCAA Tournament is tomorrow at 4 p.m. MST, live on ESPN. The Sun Devils will learn their postseason fate then.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Kimberlie Haner
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