Nov. 22, 2002
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (www.TheSunDevils.com) -- Playing without junior outside hitter Juliana Escobar, the Arizona State Volleyball team was little contest for the Pac-10 Champion and No. 1 USC Women of Troy Friday night in a three-game loss at Lyon Center on the USC campus. Game scores were 30-24, 30-15, 30-15 in favor of the Women of Troy.
Arizona State ended its 2002 Pac-10 season with an 8-10 record and will carry a 12-11 overall mark into the UNLV Thanksgiving Classic next weekend in Las Vegas. ASU was just 2-7 in the second half of the Pac-10 schedule after starting the conference slate 6-3. USC won its 14th straight match over ASU and for the seventh straight year dating back to 1995 clinched a season sweep of the Devils. The victory improved USC to 24-1 overall and ended the Pac-10 season with a 17-1 mark.
One night after setting a career high with 22 kills and 17 digs, sophomore outside hitter Natalie Harris (Tempe, Ariz.) had another solid match with nine kills and nine digs. Kim Mehlhorn (Tempe, Ariz.) returned after missing the UCLA match to tie for the team lead with nine kills. Senior middle blocker Julia Leddy hit .438 in the loss with eight kills and senior libero Brittany Arnett anchored the ASU defense with a match-high 15 digs. Escobar, ASU's leader in kills (4.31 kpg), digs (3.40 dpg) and service aces (45) sat out the match with a knee injury.
USC sophomore middle blocker Emily Adams (Phoenix, Ariz.), who played for current ASU assistant coach Terri Cox at Xavier Prep High School, led all players with 19 kills on a .581 hitting percentage. Junior All-American outside hitter April Ross also had 12 kills on a .500 hitting percentage to help lead USC to victory. The Women of Troy out-hit ASU .409 to .135 in the match.
Arizona State returns to action next Friday at 5 p.m. against Oral Roberts in the UNLV Thanksgiving Classic. --Sun Devil Volleyball--