Courtesy Nicole Praga, SDA Communications
TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State volleyball team (10-20, 3-15 Pac-12) recorded its first home win of the season in a sweep over the California Golden Bears (9-19, 3-15 Pac-12), 25-22, 25-22, 25-21, Saturday night in Wells Fargo Arena.
"I was super excited for the girls to play like that in front of their home crowd," said head coach Stevie Mussie. "I think it's a big, big deal to be able to do that at home and to hit your highest percentage and have one of your middles hitting over .800; it was very impressive. I'm stoked about Oluoma's [Okaro] performance and Lexi [MacLean]. Mmachi [Nwoke] came in and did a really nice job and Blair [Roblin] came in and did a really nice job as well."
The Sun Devils hit a season high .337 on the match, led by sophomore outside hitter Lexi MacLean with 15 kills on .419 attacking. Senior outside hitter Maya McClendon added 11 kills on the match.
Junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro hit an error-free .824 with 14 kills. Her attack percentage sits at No. 2 all-time at ASU in the rally scoring era, and Okaro is just one of two Sun Devils in that time to hit over .800 with more than 12 kills in a single match. Additionally, Okaro also added six total blocks.
Freshman middle blocker Mmachi Nwoke added two kills off the bench on .667 attacking, along with two solo blocks. Sophomore setter Kylie Pickrell recorded 39 assists and 10 digs, tying a career high.
For Cal, freshman Bailee Huizenga led the Bears with 11 kills on .364 attacking while sophomore Belen Castillo added nine kills on .438 attacking. Senior Jenelle Jordan had six kills on .545 attacking, as well as two solo blocks and four total blocks.
Up next, the Sun Devils stay at home to close out the 2016 regular season, facing Colorado and Arizona on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.
Wednesday's match against the Buffalos is set for 8:00 p.m. MT first serve on the Pac-12 Network, and Saturday's match against the Wildcats for the other half of the Territorial Cup ® Series point will start at 3:00 p.m. MT, also airing on the Pac-12 Network.
Match Notes
Kills: MacLean (15), Okaro (14), McClendon (11)
Attack Pct: Okaro (.824; 14K 0E 17 TA), MacLean (.419; 15K 2E 31TA)
Assists: K. Pickrell (39)
Digs: Jeremic (12)*, K. Pickrell (10)
*Career high
Blocks: Okaro (6BA), Jermeic (3BA), Nwoke (2BS)
Career Notes
Rally Scoring Era Attack Percentage (K-E-TA):
1. Sonja Markanovich (at USC, 11/18/11)--.867 (13-0-15)
2. Oluoma Okaro (California, 11/19/16)--.824 (14-0-17)
3. Julia Leddy (Oregon, 10/18/01)--.789 (15-0-19)
4. Mercedes Binns (NCCU, 9/20/14)--.706 (12-0-17)
5. Oluoma Okaro (Fairfield, 8/26/16)--. 682 (16-1-22)
Staci Smith (Notre Dame, 9/17/06)--.682 (15-0-22)
7. Nora Tuioti-Mariner (at Oregon State 11/8/12)--.667 (12-0-18)
8. Kim Mehlhorn (Oregon, 9/21/01)--.650 (14-1-20)
9. Jody Proctor (USC, 9/20/02)--.647 (12-1-17)
Mandy Stephens (Utah, 9/29/03)--.647 (12-1-17)
TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State volleyball team (10-20, 3-15 Pac-12) recorded its first home win of the season in a sweep over the California Golden Bears (9-19, 3-15 Pac-12), 25-22, 25-22, 25-21, Saturday night in Wells Fargo Arena.
"I was super excited for the girls to play like that in front of their home crowd," said head coach Stevie Mussie. "I think it's a big, big deal to be able to do that at home and to hit your highest percentage and have one of your middles hitting over .800; it was very impressive. I'm stoked about Oluoma's [Okaro] performance and Lexi [MacLean]. Mmachi [Nwoke] came in and did a really nice job and Blair [Roblin] came in and did a really nice job as well."
The Sun Devils hit a season high .337 on the match, led by sophomore outside hitter Lexi MacLean with 15 kills on .419 attacking. Senior outside hitter Maya McClendon added 11 kills on the match.
Junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro hit an error-free .824 with 14 kills. Her attack percentage sits at No. 2 all-time at ASU in the rally scoring era, and Okaro is just one of two Sun Devils in that time to hit over .800 with more than 12 kills in a single match. Additionally, Okaro also added six total blocks.
Freshman middle blocker Mmachi Nwoke added two kills off the bench on .667 attacking, along with two solo blocks. Sophomore setter Kylie Pickrell recorded 39 assists and 10 digs, tying a career high.
For Cal, freshman Bailee Huizenga led the Bears with 11 kills on .364 attacking while sophomore Belen Castillo added nine kills on .438 attacking. Senior Jenelle Jordan had six kills on .545 attacking, as well as two solo blocks and four total blocks.
Up next, the Sun Devils stay at home to close out the 2016 regular season, facing Colorado and Arizona on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.
Wednesday's match against the Buffalos is set for 8:00 p.m. MT first serve on the Pac-12 Network, and Saturday's match against the Wildcats for the other half of the Territorial Cup ® Series point will start at 3:00 p.m. MT, also airing on the Pac-12 Network.
Match Notes
Kills: MacLean (15), Okaro (14), McClendon (11)
Attack Pct: Okaro (.824; 14K 0E 17 TA), MacLean (.419; 15K 2E 31TA)
Assists: K. Pickrell (39)
Digs: Jeremic (12)*, K. Pickrell (10)
*Career high
Blocks: Okaro (6BA), Jermeic (3BA), Nwoke (2BS)
Career Notes
Rally Scoring Era Attack Percentage (K-E-TA):
1. Sonja Markanovich (at USC, 11/18/11)--.867 (13-0-15)
2. Oluoma Okaro (California, 11/19/16)--.824 (14-0-17)
3. Julia Leddy (Oregon, 10/18/01)--.789 (15-0-19)
4. Mercedes Binns (NCCU, 9/20/14)--.706 (12-0-17)
5. Oluoma Okaro (Fairfield, 8/26/16)--. 682 (16-1-22)
Staci Smith (Notre Dame, 9/17/06)--.682 (15-0-22)
7. Nora Tuioti-Mariner (at Oregon State 11/8/12)--.667 (12-0-18)
8. Kim Mehlhorn (Oregon, 9/21/01)--.650 (14-1-20)
9. Jody Proctor (USC, 9/20/02)--.647 (12-1-17)
Mandy Stephens (Utah, 9/29/03)--.647 (12-1-17)