BOULDER -- The Arizona State volleyball team (10-20, 0-18 Pac-12) fell in five sets to Colorado (21-8, 11-7 Pac-12), 28-26, 16-25, 26-24, 23-15, 11-15, on Saturday night at the Coors Events Center.
"Plain and simple, what an unbelievable and gritty effort on part of our squad tonight," said Sun Devil interim head coach Carlos Moreno. "I am proud of how we fought tonight, especially after coming off such a tight turnaround. This team has continued to learn and grow each week, and we are getting more comfortable with competing in these longer matches. We've been challenged, but have continue to rise to the occasion and continue to play an aggressive brand of volleyball. We know we have some items to work on, and another short turnaround this coming week, so we look forward to getting back in the gym and preparing for Washington State and Arizona."
Leading the way for the Sun Devils was senior right side hitter Oluoma Okaro, who finished the night with 25 kills, 15 digs, and three blocks. Okaro's double-double marks her team-leading 11th this season. Freshmen middle blocker Peyton Grahovac and outside hitter Griere Hughes added 12 kills each. Grahovac's mark was one off her career high of 13 kills, while Hughes posted a team-high attack percentage of .308 for the match.
Sophomore setter Nicole Peterson posted her seventh double-double of the season with 51 assists and 21 digs, which is seven more than her previous career high in digs, set against Utah on Oct. 15. Peterson also added three kills and four blocks to her stat line. Junior middle blocker Carmen Unzue also a career high in blocks, finishing the match with nine total (two solo blocks and seven block assists). Her previous best of six was set on Oct. 7 against USC.
With 19 digs in the match, senior libero Halle Harker continues to hold the seventh-best single-season digs tally in program history with 579, leaving her just 21 digs away from becoming seventh Sun Devil in program history to surpass the 600-dig mark. With two matches remaining on the season slate and 1,981 career digs to her credit, Harker sits at 19 digs away from 2,000 and 29 digs shy of Stephanie Preach's career second-place mark of 2,010.
For the Buffaloes, Alexa Smith led the way with 22 kills on .392 attacking and 11 digs. Four other Buffs recorded double-digit kills, including Frankie Shebby (16), Joslyn Hayes (13), Anna Pfefferle (12), and Naghede Abu (10). Setter Bryanna Deluzio also posted a double-double with 64 assists and 11 digs.
Up next, the Sun Devils will round out the 2017 Pac-12 slate with trips to Washington State (Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. MT) and Arizona (Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. MT). Wednesday's trip to Pullman will be streamed courtesy of Washington State's Pac-12 live stream. Saturday's Territorial Cup meeting with the Wildcats will be broadcast live via Pac-12 Networks with Daron Sutton and Dain Blanton on the call.
Match Notes
Kills: Okaro (25), Grahovac (12), Hughes (12)
Assists: Peterson (51)
Digs: Peterson (21), Harker (19), Okaro (15)
Blocks: Unzue (9TB)*, Grahavoc (4TB), Peterson (4TB)
Double-Doubles: Okaro (11th, 25 kills & 15 digs), Peterson (7th, 51 assists & 21 digs)
*career high
ASU Career Digs Leaders
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07 – 2385
2. Stephanie Preach, 2010-13 – 2010
3. Halle Harker, 2014-present – 1981
4. Christy Nore, 1985-88 – 1597
5. Jami Coughlin, 1998-2001 – 1528
Harker's Digs By Season
-- 2014: 521
-- 2015: 423
-- 2016: 459
-- 2017: 578 and counting...
Arizona State Single-Season Digs Leaders
1. 742, Sydney Donahue, 2006
2. 640, Sydney Donahue, 2007
3. 628, Sydney Donahue, 2005
4. 619, Stephanie Preach, 2012
5. 610, Stephanie Preach, 2011
6. 601, Mindy Gowell, 1990
7. 578, Halle Harker, 2017
8. 556, Christy Nore, 1988
9. 550, Stephanie Preach, 2013
10. 538,Kelly Plaisted, 1990
11. 521, Halle Harker, 2015
"Plain and simple, what an unbelievable and gritty effort on part of our squad tonight," said Sun Devil interim head coach Carlos Moreno. "I am proud of how we fought tonight, especially after coming off such a tight turnaround. This team has continued to learn and grow each week, and we are getting more comfortable with competing in these longer matches. We've been challenged, but have continue to rise to the occasion and continue to play an aggressive brand of volleyball. We know we have some items to work on, and another short turnaround this coming week, so we look forward to getting back in the gym and preparing for Washington State and Arizona."
Leading the way for the Sun Devils was senior right side hitter Oluoma Okaro, who finished the night with 25 kills, 15 digs, and three blocks. Okaro's double-double marks her team-leading 11th this season. Freshmen middle blocker Peyton Grahovac and outside hitter Griere Hughes added 12 kills each. Grahovac's mark was one off her career high of 13 kills, while Hughes posted a team-high attack percentage of .308 for the match.
Sophomore setter Nicole Peterson posted her seventh double-double of the season with 51 assists and 21 digs, which is seven more than her previous career high in digs, set against Utah on Oct. 15. Peterson also added three kills and four blocks to her stat line. Junior middle blocker Carmen Unzue also a career high in blocks, finishing the match with nine total (two solo blocks and seven block assists). Her previous best of six was set on Oct. 7 against USC.
With 19 digs in the match, senior libero Halle Harker continues to hold the seventh-best single-season digs tally in program history with 579, leaving her just 21 digs away from becoming seventh Sun Devil in program history to surpass the 600-dig mark. With two matches remaining on the season slate and 1,981 career digs to her credit, Harker sits at 19 digs away from 2,000 and 29 digs shy of Stephanie Preach's career second-place mark of 2,010.
For the Buffaloes, Alexa Smith led the way with 22 kills on .392 attacking and 11 digs. Four other Buffs recorded double-digit kills, including Frankie Shebby (16), Joslyn Hayes (13), Anna Pfefferle (12), and Naghede Abu (10). Setter Bryanna Deluzio also posted a double-double with 64 assists and 11 digs.
Up next, the Sun Devils will round out the 2017 Pac-12 slate with trips to Washington State (Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. MT) and Arizona (Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. MT). Wednesday's trip to Pullman will be streamed courtesy of Washington State's Pac-12 live stream. Saturday's Territorial Cup meeting with the Wildcats will be broadcast live via Pac-12 Networks with Daron Sutton and Dain Blanton on the call.
Match Notes
Kills: Okaro (25), Grahovac (12), Hughes (12)
Assists: Peterson (51)
Digs: Peterson (21), Harker (19), Okaro (15)
Blocks: Unzue (9TB)*, Grahavoc (4TB), Peterson (4TB)
Double-Doubles: Okaro (11th, 25 kills & 15 digs), Peterson (7th, 51 assists & 21 digs)
*career high
ASU Career Digs Leaders
1. Sydney Donahue, 2004-07 – 2385
2. Stephanie Preach, 2010-13 – 2010
3. Halle Harker, 2014-present – 1981
4. Christy Nore, 1985-88 – 1597
5. Jami Coughlin, 1998-2001 – 1528
Harker's Digs By Season
-- 2014: 521
-- 2015: 423
-- 2016: 459
-- 2017: 578 and counting...
Arizona State Single-Season Digs Leaders
1. 742, Sydney Donahue, 2006
2. 640, Sydney Donahue, 2007
3. 628, Sydney Donahue, 2005
4. 619, Stephanie Preach, 2012
5. 610, Stephanie Preach, 2011
6. 601, Mindy Gowell, 1990
7. 578, Halle Harker, 2017
8. 556, Christy Nore, 1988
9. 550, Stephanie Preach, 2013
10. 538,Kelly Plaisted, 1990
11. 521, Halle Harker, 2015