TUCSON, Ariz.—The Arizona State volleyball team (7-6, 0-1 Pac-12) dropped a four-set match to Arizona (9-4, 1-0 Pac-12), 22-25, 25-19, 23-25, 18-25, to open Pac-12 Conference play on Wednesday at the McKale Center.
"I think the biggest thing tonight is that we ran out of gas," head coach Stevie Mussie said. "We're tired. We train hard and we need to be able to have more carryover from that preparation. We have to be able to go long matches because we play four, and five set matches all the time."
Junior Oluoma Okaro anchored the block for the Sun Devils with a career high of 10, the most since Alexis Pinson put up that many block assists on Sept. 1, 2012 against LMU. That mark ties for third all-time at ASU in the rally scoring era (since 2001). Okaro was two kills away from a double-double with eight, and also added three service aces.
"Oly (Okaro) did an unbelievable job technically, taking away good shots and being big and physical," Mussie said. "And I thought Cassidy Pickrell was unbelievable tonight. Her game and her grittiness, her ability to compete and stay focused over time was fabulous. It was a big improvement for her."
Senior Cassidy Pickrell led the Sun Devils with a season high 20 kills. She added 13 digs for her team-leading fourth double-double and a season-high five block assists. Sophomore Kylie Pickrell also added five block assists, a new career high.
"I do like where we are," Mussie said. "Once we get healthy, I think we're going to be relevant. When people can get healthy and we can get the lineup that we want out there, along with having Cassidy and Oly play like they did tonight, we will give ourselves some good opportunities to win."
Also of note for the Sun Devils, junior Halle Harker finished with 15 digs, and now has 1,128 in her career, 16th all-time at ASU. She is 93 digs away from tying the No. 10 mark, Nancy Christian's (1990-93) 1,221.
For the Wildcats, Kendra Dahlke led with 22 kills, with Katarina Pilepic added 15 and another 11 came from Tyler Spriggs. Arizona now takes a .5 to 0 lead in the 2016-17 Territorial Cup ® Series.
The next T-Cup series contest is the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships on Friday, Oct. 28, also in Tucson. One full point will be up for grabs in both the men's and women's races.
Sun Devil volleyball closes out the season-opening 14-match road slate on Saturday at Utah in Salt Lake City. The match is slated for a 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT start and will be live streamed via UtahUtes.com.
The Road Warriors come home to Wells Fargo Arena on Friday, Sept. 30; hosting Oregon at 6 p.m. PT. ASU will close out the two-match home stand on Sunday, Oct. 2 against Oregon State at 11 a.m. PT. Both matches will air on the Pac-12 Network. Get tickets HERE.
Match Notes
Kills: C. Pickrell (20), Koonts (9), Okaro (8)
Assists: K. Pickrell (31)
Digs: Harker (15), C. Pickrell (13)
Double-Doubles: C. Pickrell (4th; 20 kills & 13 digs)
Blocks: Okaro (10BA)*, C. Pickrell (5BA), K. Pickrell (5BA)*
*Career high
Record Book Notes
Block Assists (Single-Match Rally Scoring Era)
1. Alexis Pinson (9/16/11 at Oregon St.)—11
Nora Tuioti-Mariner (9/16/11 at Oregon St.)—11
3. Oluoma Okaro (9/21/16 at Arizona)—10
Alexis Pinson (9/1/12 at LMU)—10
Sonja Markanovich (11/5/10 vs. Oregon St.)—10
Sonja Markanovich (9/19/09 vs. Wyoming)—10
Paige Mittelstaedt (11/6/09 at Oregon St.)—10
Paige Mittelstaedt (9/6/08 vs. UC Irvine)—10
9. 7x, last: M. Binns & W. Follette (8/29/15 vs. NMSU)—9
Career Note:
Career Digs At ASU:
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07—2385
10. Nancy Christian, 1990-93—1221
11. Margie Giordano, 2005-08—1218
12. Kelly Plaisted, 1987-90—1194
13. Sarah Reaves, 2007-10—1181
14. Tammy Webb, 1983-86—1178
15. Courtney Blocher, 2000-03—1173
16. Halle Harker, 2014-Present)—1128
"I think the biggest thing tonight is that we ran out of gas," head coach Stevie Mussie said. "We're tired. We train hard and we need to be able to have more carryover from that preparation. We have to be able to go long matches because we play four, and five set matches all the time."
Junior Oluoma Okaro anchored the block for the Sun Devils with a career high of 10, the most since Alexis Pinson put up that many block assists on Sept. 1, 2012 against LMU. That mark ties for third all-time at ASU in the rally scoring era (since 2001). Okaro was two kills away from a double-double with eight, and also added three service aces.
"Oly (Okaro) did an unbelievable job technically, taking away good shots and being big and physical," Mussie said. "And I thought Cassidy Pickrell was unbelievable tonight. Her game and her grittiness, her ability to compete and stay focused over time was fabulous. It was a big improvement for her."
Senior Cassidy Pickrell led the Sun Devils with a season high 20 kills. She added 13 digs for her team-leading fourth double-double and a season-high five block assists. Sophomore Kylie Pickrell also added five block assists, a new career high.
"I do like where we are," Mussie said. "Once we get healthy, I think we're going to be relevant. When people can get healthy and we can get the lineup that we want out there, along with having Cassidy and Oly play like they did tonight, we will give ourselves some good opportunities to win."
Also of note for the Sun Devils, junior Halle Harker finished with 15 digs, and now has 1,128 in her career, 16th all-time at ASU. She is 93 digs away from tying the No. 10 mark, Nancy Christian's (1990-93) 1,221.
For the Wildcats, Kendra Dahlke led with 22 kills, with Katarina Pilepic added 15 and another 11 came from Tyler Spriggs. Arizona now takes a .5 to 0 lead in the 2016-17 Territorial Cup ® Series.
The next T-Cup series contest is the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships on Friday, Oct. 28, also in Tucson. One full point will be up for grabs in both the men's and women's races.
Sun Devil volleyball closes out the season-opening 14-match road slate on Saturday at Utah in Salt Lake City. The match is slated for a 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT start and will be live streamed via UtahUtes.com.
The Road Warriors come home to Wells Fargo Arena on Friday, Sept. 30; hosting Oregon at 6 p.m. PT. ASU will close out the two-match home stand on Sunday, Oct. 2 against Oregon State at 11 a.m. PT. Both matches will air on the Pac-12 Network. Get tickets HERE.
Match Notes
Kills: C. Pickrell (20), Koonts (9), Okaro (8)
Assists: K. Pickrell (31)
Digs: Harker (15), C. Pickrell (13)
Double-Doubles: C. Pickrell (4th; 20 kills & 13 digs)
Blocks: Okaro (10BA)*, C. Pickrell (5BA), K. Pickrell (5BA)*
*Career high
Record Book Notes
Block Assists (Single-Match Rally Scoring Era)
1. Alexis Pinson (9/16/11 at Oregon St.)—11
Nora Tuioti-Mariner (9/16/11 at Oregon St.)—11
3. Oluoma Okaro (9/21/16 at Arizona)—10
Alexis Pinson (9/1/12 at LMU)—10
Sonja Markanovich (11/5/10 vs. Oregon St.)—10
Sonja Markanovich (9/19/09 vs. Wyoming)—10
Paige Mittelstaedt (11/6/09 at Oregon St.)—10
Paige Mittelstaedt (9/6/08 vs. UC Irvine)—10
9. 7x, last: M. Binns & W. Follette (8/29/15 vs. NMSU)—9
Career Note:
Career Digs At ASU:
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07—2385
10. Nancy Christian, 1990-93—1221
11. Margie Giordano, 2005-08—1218
12. Kelly Plaisted, 1987-90—1194
13. Sarah Reaves, 2007-10—1181
14. Tammy Webb, 1983-86—1178
15. Courtney Blocher, 2000-03—1173
16. Halle Harker, 2014-Present)—1128