By Connor Smith, SDA Media Relations Student Assistant
TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State volleyball team (10-13, 0-11 Pac-12) dropped a four-set match to No. 2 Stanford (18-2, 11-0 Pac-12), 22-25, 16-25, 25-21, 13-25 on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena
"I think we had a good game" Coach Carlos Moreno remarked. "We played against a really tough team" he added. "I think our girls had fun and they fought for every play and right now we're not looking at the scoreboard and the record we have. We are looking if we are getting better as a team and getting better individually. And I think we did."
Senior Oluoma Okaro provided a steady force offensively for the Sun Devils, helping them take a set from the defending national champion. It was just the seventh set the Cardinal have dropped in Pac-12 play (11 matches). She finished the night with 19 kills, hitting at a .300 clip. After tallying another double-digit kill performance, she has now reached that plateau in 21 of her 23 games this season.
The Sun Devils bounced back after dropping the first two sets, the first of which came down to the wire, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the third set. Arizona State would never look back, using a pair of service aces to bring Wells Fargo to their feet. The Sun Devils would go on to take set 3 against No. 2 Stanford, 25-21, before falling in the final set.
Junior Carmen Unzue had an efficient night providing firepower at the net. Unzue hit an impressive .545 on the night, notching six kills. Fellow junior Peyton Grahovac put together another solid performance, racking up nine kills in the match.
Sophomore setter Nicole Peterson notched her fifth double-double of the year, tying a career-high with 14 digs along with 30 assists.
The Cardinal were led by Kathryn Plummer (23), Audriana Fitzmorris (11), and Merete Lutz (11) each of whom reached the double-digit kills mark. Setter Jenna Gray finished with 56 assists for Stanford.
Senior libero Halle Harker finished the match with 10 digs, giving her double-digit digs in all but one game this year. Her career total moves to 1,842, the third highest mark in school history. Ahead of Harker are Pac-10/12 all-time digs leader Sydney Donahue (2004-07) with 2385, and Sun Devil standout Stephanie Preach (2010-2013) with 2010.
Up next, the Sun Devils remain in Wells Fargo Arena to take on California Sunday morning. The match will air live on Pac-12 Networks with Kevin Barnett on the call.
Match Notes
Kills: Okaro (19), Grahovac (9)
Assists: Peterson (30), Harker (7)
Digs: Peterson (14), Harker (10), Leffel (7)
Double-Doubles: Peterson (5th, 30 assists and 14 digs)
ASU Career Dig Leaders
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07 – 2385*
2. Stephanie Preach, 2010-13 – 2010
3. Halle Harker, 2014-present – 1842
4. Christy Nore, 1985-88 – 1597
5. Jami Coughlin, 1998-2001 - 1528
TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State volleyball team (10-13, 0-11 Pac-12) dropped a four-set match to No. 2 Stanford (18-2, 11-0 Pac-12), 22-25, 16-25, 25-21, 13-25 on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena
"I think we had a good game" Coach Carlos Moreno remarked. "We played against a really tough team" he added. "I think our girls had fun and they fought for every play and right now we're not looking at the scoreboard and the record we have. We are looking if we are getting better as a team and getting better individually. And I think we did."
Senior Oluoma Okaro provided a steady force offensively for the Sun Devils, helping them take a set from the defending national champion. It was just the seventh set the Cardinal have dropped in Pac-12 play (11 matches). She finished the night with 19 kills, hitting at a .300 clip. After tallying another double-digit kill performance, she has now reached that plateau in 21 of her 23 games this season.
The Sun Devils bounced back after dropping the first two sets, the first of which came down to the wire, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the third set. Arizona State would never look back, using a pair of service aces to bring Wells Fargo to their feet. The Sun Devils would go on to take set 3 against No. 2 Stanford, 25-21, before falling in the final set.
Junior Carmen Unzue had an efficient night providing firepower at the net. Unzue hit an impressive .545 on the night, notching six kills. Fellow junior Peyton Grahovac put together another solid performance, racking up nine kills in the match.
Sophomore setter Nicole Peterson notched her fifth double-double of the year, tying a career-high with 14 digs along with 30 assists.
The Cardinal were led by Kathryn Plummer (23), Audriana Fitzmorris (11), and Merete Lutz (11) each of whom reached the double-digit kills mark. Setter Jenna Gray finished with 56 assists for Stanford.
Senior libero Halle Harker finished the match with 10 digs, giving her double-digit digs in all but one game this year. Her career total moves to 1,842, the third highest mark in school history. Ahead of Harker are Pac-10/12 all-time digs leader Sydney Donahue (2004-07) with 2385, and Sun Devil standout Stephanie Preach (2010-2013) with 2010.
Up next, the Sun Devils remain in Wells Fargo Arena to take on California Sunday morning. The match will air live on Pac-12 Networks with Kevin Barnett on the call.
Match Notes
Kills: Okaro (19), Grahovac (9)
Assists: Peterson (30), Harker (7)
Digs: Peterson (14), Harker (10), Leffel (7)
Double-Doubles: Peterson (5th, 30 assists and 14 digs)
ASU Career Dig Leaders
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07 – 2385*
2. Stephanie Preach, 2010-13 – 2010
3. Halle Harker, 2014-present – 1842
4. Christy Nore, 1985-88 – 1597
5. Jami Coughlin, 1998-2001 - 1528