Aug. 27, 2011
TEMPE, Ariz. – In its first match on Saturday, the ASU volleyball squad shut down Milwaukee 27-29, 25-23, 25-21, 25-22 in a tough battle to the end. The Sun Devils improve to 2-0 on the year after taking the match 3-1.
A tough start was in store for ASU despite opening the day with a .277 attack percentage in set one. Both teams kept it close as the score teeter-tottered through the 11-11 mark. UWM (1-1) then used a four-point rally to force the Sun Devils into a timeout down at 15-11.
ASU chipped away at the Panthers lead with kills from Ashley Kastl and Nora Tuioti-Mariner to close the gap at 18-16. Despite a key attack to keep the set alive at 25-25 from Tuioti-Mariner, UWM came out on top 29-27 with a pair of kills from Kerri Schuh and Julie Kolinske.
Set two saw a fired up squad from the Sun Devil bench, who opened the frame with a 7-2 advantage. Using a five-point tear, Milwaukee tied it at 7-7 to keep things interesting. ASU rolled on to a 20-15 lead before the Panthers once again fought back to make it a 22-21 contest.
The Sun Devils would have none of it, shutting down the threat with a block from Tuioti-Mariner and Alexis Pinson before Tuioti-Mariner’s kill locked the set at 25-23.
With a set to each team, the third frame continued the close battle seen throughout the matchup. Erica Wilson swung away for four kills and two aces to help the ASU cause. A late run was enough for ASU to claim the set 25-21 and a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set.
Picking it up in the fourth and final stanza, Sarah McGaffin put up four assists for a 6-2 lead as Danica Mendivil, Tuioti-Mariner and Wilson all connected on kills.
In tune with the previous sets, ASU made its way to the 21-19 mark staving off UWM advances by holding on to a consistent one-point lead. UWM was unable to surmount another comeback as the Sun Devils were hitting at a .306 clip to close out a 25-22 victory and take the match 3-1.
Kastl etched 16 kills in the books for ASU while Wilson tallied 14, giving her a .407 attack percentage on the day.
ASU (2-0) closes out the weekend at 7:30 tonight when it takes on the San Jose State Spartans (0-2).