(Tempe, AZ) Sun Devils’ top tier schedule continues as they hosted #8 TCU in Desert Financial Arena today.
Arizona State came in as #11 after a season high ranking at #7.
Not only was this a highly anticipated matchup between two highly ranked teams, but it’s also was crucial Big XII Conference game.
The Horned Frogs were tied for first place with a 5-0 conference record and 14-2 overall riding an 11 match win streak.
Arizona State came in at sixth at 3-1 in conference and 12-3 overall.
There’s only a single loss separating the other first place team BYU (5-0) and Iowa State, Utah, Kansas and ASU.
First Set
Match began with a solid double block for the Horned Frogs. ASU returned the favor on the next point.
Both teams traded points until 3-3 then the Devils had a 8-3 run on good passing and blocking. TCU called a timeout trying to stop the ASU momentum. At this point, the Sun Devils had 11 attacks with 6 kills, while TCU had 11 attacks and only 3 kills.
Noemie Glover found the hole in the defense and banged it home for 15-10 Arizona State lead.
Down the stretch, ASU had asserted their dominance 21-14 due to continued solid passing and spacing on defense stopping the Horned Frogs counterattacks.
TCU was forced to call another timeout, but it was too late as the Sun Devils took the set 25-16 on a back court kill by Ella Lomigora.
Second Set
A service ace by Una Vajagic gave ASu an early 2-1 advantage.
As in the first set, both squads went back and forth with two points as the largest lead 9-7.
A second hit kill by Lomigora gave the momentum to the Devils at 11-7 and a timeouts by the Horned Frogs.
Out of the timeout, Texas Christian snuck back briefly, but Aniya Clinton said, “no Ma’m” which triggered another TCU timeout not wanting to let this set get away and still a 15-10 deficit for the ladies from Texas.
A solo Monster Block by Clinton denying a change of momentum flow for TCU. The lead grew slightly as they got to the final third of the set.
The Frogs countered with back to back service aces but still. Had a four point deficit 19-15.
With just a three point lead 20-17, Coach Van Niel challenged a call and it was ruled in favor of the Sun Devils to take the point off the board now 20-16.
With a last gasp in the set, TCU again called a timeout down 22-16.
Glover finished off the set with a thunder kill for a 25-17 win and now the Sun Devils were up 2-0.
Third Set
TCU now on the brink of getting swept, was forced into a win the remaining sets or go to Fort Worth.
Isabella Constantini crossed up the Frogs defense on a second hit flush and ASU early at 3-1.
Glover ricocheted a hard smash off two TCU defenders as the Devils kept the pressure on up 6-3.
Constantini had a service aces for a 10-6 lead followed by an attack error forcing another TCU timeout down 11-6.
The Sun Devils kept the pressure on TCU and had them all chasing shadows as they built a 13-7 lead heading to the midway point of the set.
Texas Christian needed something to stem the tide of the maroon wave they had experienced in the first two sets and into the third set that necessitated another timeout behind 15-9.
A double monster block by Zoey Burgess and Elle Mottola doubled up the score 18-9 as the Frogs needed an act of God to stage a late comeback.
Smelling blood, the wave continued to grow as they got another monster block by Burgesss and Clinton up 23-9.
A service error by TCU ended the match as unlikely as it seemed, the Arizona State Sun Devils on the third set for a sweep over #8.
The Sun Devils finished on an 11 point scoring streak.
Wrap Up
What was expected to be a nip and tuck match with two highly ranked teams ended up being a polar opposite. Arizona State went right after the Horned Frogs and other than a back and forth effort early in each set, the Devils never trailed after that. TCU was on its heels the entire match.
The ASU serving was spectacular having 7 aces to 6 serving errors, which Coach JJ Van Niel praised as phenomenal. the passing and ball movement kept Teas Christian off balance the entire match.
Today’s win was the third victory over a Top 10 school.
Now, the Sun Devils 4-1 in the Big XII and 13-3 set their sights on their downstate rival Arizona Wildcats 1-4 in conference and 6-10 overall at home on Thursday. Game time is 7 p.m.
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