By Connor Smith, SDA Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona State volleyball team (10-18, 0-16 Pac-12) fell to the Oregon State Beavers (19-9, 9-7 Pac-12) in a tight five set match, 25-19, 17-25, 26-24, 19-25, 11-15 on Senior Night Saturday in Wells Fargo Arena.
The Sun Devils honored and celebrated the careers of three seniors, Halle Harker, Oluoma Okaro and Isabel Miller with a pregame video and ceremony.
"It was a night with mixed feelings, with the senior girls playing their hearts out" Coach Moreno said. "That was pretty cool to see that. Maybe for the first time, we really battled."
In fitting fashion on senior night, Oluoma Okaro put together an outstanding last performance at Wells Fargo leading the Sun Devils with 26 kills. Okaro was on fire, attacking at a .351 clip while adding 16 digs for her 10 double-double of the season.
Okaro was assisted offensively by Greire Hughes and Ivana Jeremic who both eclipsed the double-digit kill mark with 17 and 10 respectively. Both Jeremic (13) and Hughes (10) added career-highs in digs, collecting their fifth and first double-doubles of the season, respectively. Hughes obliterated her previous career-high of six digs.
Setter Nicole Peterson distributed the offensive attack brilliantly, notching a career-high 56 assists. Peterson's total represents her third 50-assist performance of the season and sixth 40-assist performance. Courtney Leffel matched a career-high with 16 digs.
Five Sun Devils totaled at least ten digs, led by a 29-dig outing from senior libero Halle Harker. Harker moved her career digs total to 1,947, good enough for third in school history.
"They fought the whole match" Coach Moreno stated. "That's the lesson I'm taking from this match. We are capable of playing in the Pac-12 when we play like that. We can keep up with anyone when we play like that."
The Beavers were led by Mary-Kate Marshall who tallied 21 kills and Maddie Goings who added 17 kills. Kylee McLaughlin recorded 47 assists.
Up next, the Sun Devils hit the road next week to face No. 12 Utah on Friday at 7:00 MST live on Pac-12 Networks. Arizona State will then travel to Boulder to take on the Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday 7:00 MST.
"It goes by so fast," Moreno added about the seniors. "We are going to miss them, I'm going to miss them."
Match Notes
Kills: Okaro (26), Hughes (17), Jeremic (10)
Attacking Percentage: Okaro (.351; 26 K, 6 E, 57 TA)
Double-Doubles: Okaro (10th, 26 kills & 16 digs), Jeremic (5th, 10 kills & 13 digs), Hughes (1st, 17 kills & 10 digs)
Assists: Peterson (56)
Digs: Harker (26), Leffel (16), Okaro (16), Jeremic (13), Hughes (10)
ASU Career Digs Leaders
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07 – 2385
2. Stephanie Preach, 2010-13 – 2010
3. Halle Harker, 2014-present – 1947
4. Christy Nore, 1985-88 – 1597
5. Jami Coughlin, 1998-2001 – 1528