Courtesy Connor Johnson, SDA Communications
TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 13 Sun Devil volleyball team (16-4, 5-4 Pac-12) snapped a four-match losing streak on Friday night, sweeping the visiting Utah Utes (7-13, 1-8 Pac-12) 25-14, 25-17, 25-23 at Wells Fargo Arena.
Senior Whitney Follette, who continued to impress in her transition to outside hitter, led the Sun Devils with 10 kills, five digs and two solo blocks. Follette now has 369 total blocks in her career, four away from becoming just the fourth Sun Devil to total 400 or more career blocks.
“We are getting a little more confident in the rotation we have,” head coach Jason Watson said. “As much as you would like it to be otherwise, time is the only thing that can allow us to gain that confidence, and tonight I thought we took a step forward.”
Three other ASU players finished with at least five kills. Junior Bree Bailey had nine kills, while senior Mercedes Binns and freshman Jasmine Koonts each had five kills on a .444 attack percentage. The five kills were a career high for Koonts, who saw her first action at Wells Fargo Arena since Sept. 19 against Texas Southern.
Senior setter Bianca Arellano finished with 18 assists and 10 digs, good for her eighth double-double of the season.
Adora Anae led Utah with nine kills, while setter Jessie Jorgensen finished with 19 assists and 10 digs for the Utes.
Up next for ASU is a Saturday matchup against Colorado (12-8, 4-4 Pac-12), set to start at 7 p.m. PT. The match will be live-streamed on thesundevils.com.
Match Notes
Kills: Follette (10), Bailey (9), Binns (5), Koonts (5)
Top Attack Pct: Koonts (.444; 5K, 1E, 9TA), Binns (.444 (5K, 1E, 9TA), Follette (.421, 10K, 2E, 19TA)
Assists: Arellano (18)
Digs: Arellano (10), Harker (9), MacLean (9)
Double-Double: Arellano (8th, 18 assists & 10 digs)
Blocks: C. Pickrell (4TB; 2BS, 2BA), Binns (3BA)
Team Attack Pct: ASU .227, Utah .094
Team Solo Blocks: ASU 8, Utah 1
Team Block Assists: ASU 6, Utah 0
Team Service Aces: ASU 5, Utah 1
Career Records Of Note
Block Assists
1. Tina Berg (1987-90)—378
2. Sonja Markanovich (2008-11)—329
3. Whitney Follette (2012-present)—326
Total Blocks
1. Tina Berg (1987-90)—530
2. Tammy Webb (1983-86)—492
3. Sue Nord (1986-89)—421
4. Whitney Follette (2012-present)—396
Assists
1. Regina Stahl (1984-87)—5180
2. Chreyl Anglin (2000-03)—4296
3. Marina Mercer (2006-09)—3680
4. Jennifer Helfrich (1989-92)—2956
5. Bianca Arellano (2013-present)—2924