TEMPE, Ariz. – Down 2-0 for the second match in a row, Arizona State volleyball defeated Oregon in five sets (21-25, 17-25, 25-14, 25-19, 15-12) on Friday night at Desert Financial Arena, the first time the Sun Devils have won back-to-back reverse sweeps in program history.
Notable Stats
Arizona State head coach Sanja Tomasevic
On coming back and defeating Oregon in five sets
"I think two teams showed up tonight on my side of the net. There was a team the first two sets and another team the next three sets. I am really pleased with how we came back and fought; that's something that is becoming the identity of this team. We don't quit, we keep fighting. Especially with the last two matches, being down 2-0 to two pretty good teams, coming back and winning, that is this team."
On Breast Cancer Awareness Night
"I love when we have a platform like this and can bring awareness to what really matters out there. We get to play a sport and are blessed to have fun out there, but there's bigger problems than winning or losing to Oregon. Claire Kovensky's sister has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, so that's even closer to us as a team. Anytime we can bring awareness, we do our best to do it."
Senior libero Courtney Leffel
On dropping the first two sets
"We can't give up, we just have to keep fighting.There's still game left even though we're down 2-0."
Set One: Oregon 25, Arizona State 21
The Sun Devils started off strong with a 5-3 lead after three missed serves from the Ducks. The teams battled back and forth, with Arizona State maintaining a lead for the first half of the set until the teams were tied at 13. Oregon took the lead at 14-13 and carried it throughout the rest of the set, with five total team blocks. Four kills from Burse helped the Sun Devils close the gap, but the Ducks' block led them to a 25-21 victory.
Set Two: Oregon 25, Arizona State 17
Arizona State started off the set down 5-2 with Oregon winning key scramble plays. The gap widened throughout the set as the Sun Devils struggled with tight passing and the Ducks put up four blocks and 20 team digs. At one point, the Sun Devils trailed by 11. Four kills from Jeremic helped get the Sun Devils within seven. A service and hitting error at the end led to a 25-17 Oregon win.
Set Three: Arizona State 25, Oregon 14
The third set showed an entirely different Sun Devil team. While they trailed 2-0 at the start, two kills in a row from junior middle hitter Megan Beedie and two blocks gave Arizona State a 5-3 lead. The Sun Devils served tough, producing four aces and a five-point service run from Peterson. Arizona State continued to push forward as Mitrovic put down four kills and helped extend the lead to 20-12. A huge block from freshman middle hitter Kennedi Boyd and Jeremic sealed a 25-14 Sun Devil victory.
Set Four: Arizona State 25, Oregon 19
Arizona State and Oregon battled back and forth the entire set. With four lead changes before the score hit double digits, the Sun Devils challenged the Ducks with solid defense by producing 15 digs, six alone from Leffel. Two kills in a row from Mitrovic and an ace by Kovensky pushed Arizona State ahead to a 19-15 lead. A big solo block by Burse and an Oregon missed serve on set point solidified an Arizona State win at 25-19.
Set Five: Arizona State 15, Oregon 12
The Sun Devils started off the fifth set in a 4-0 hole with Oregon producing three kills in a row. After a block from Beedie and Jeremic and a couple of kills, Arizona State tied the game up 4-4. The back-and-forth final set proved intense, with three challenge calls on close plays. Mitrovic put away a kill at the side change, with the Sun Devils taking an 8-6 lead. A leveled attack from all of the Arizona State pin hitters, including a huge overpass from kill from Burse, led to a Sun Devil match point. Jeremic ended the match with a hammer down the line that resulted in a 15-12 Arizona State victory.
Up Next
Arizona State faces off against Oregon State (9-11, 3-6 Pac-12) at Desert Financial Arena on Sunday, October 27 at 12 p.m. MST. Oregon State is coming off of a five-set thriller win against Arizona on Friday night. The match will feature Sparky's Halloween Party, with trick-or-treating prior to the noon start time. Fans are encouraged to wear costumes.
SUN DEVILS WIN??
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) October 26, 2019
For the second match in a row, ASU comes back down 2-0 to win!! We beat Oregon in a five-set thriller at home! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/ZEJfHcFaXV
Notable Stats
- Arizona State (12-8, 4-5 Pac-12) defeated Oregon (6-12, 2-7 Pac-12) in five sets after losing the first two. This was the first time the Sun Devils have come back down 2-0 to beat the Ducks in program history.
- For the first time in program history, the Sun Devils won back-to-back reverse sweeps, where they lost the first two sets and came back to win the match.
- After taking down then-No. 21 Washington State on the road last week in a similar come-from-behind win, the Sun Devils won back-to-back five-set matches for the first time since 2016.
- Senior setter Nicole Peterson had her third double-double of the season with 18 assists and a season-high 13 digs.
- Junior outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic had a team-high 13 kills with an impressive .444 hitting percentage.
- Senior libero Courtney Leffel had a team-high 18 digs to lead the Sun Devils on defense.
- Senior outside hitter Jada Burse was another pin hitter with double-digit kills, earning 12 in the win.
- Senior outside hitter Ivana Jeremic had nine kills, six digs and a season-high six blocks.
- Junior outside hitter Claire Kovensky had a match-high three aces and two solo blocks.
- This marks the first program win in Desert Financial Arena.
QuotesNothing better than a Sun Devil win!! ??#ForksUp | #Fight pic.twitter.com/b11zT3aoa3
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) October 26, 2019
Arizona State head coach Sanja Tomasevic
On coming back and defeating Oregon in five sets
"I think two teams showed up tonight on my side of the net. There was a team the first two sets and another team the next three sets. I am really pleased with how we came back and fought; that's something that is becoming the identity of this team. We don't quit, we keep fighting. Especially with the last two matches, being down 2-0 to two pretty good teams, coming back and winning, that is this team."
On Breast Cancer Awareness Night
"I love when we have a platform like this and can bring awareness to what really matters out there. We get to play a sport and are blessed to have fun out there, but there's bigger problems than winning or losing to Oregon. Claire Kovensky's sister has just been diagnosed with breast cancer, so that's even closer to us as a team. Anytime we can bring awareness, we do our best to do it."
Senior libero Courtney Leffel
On dropping the first two sets
"We can't give up, we just have to keep fighting.There's still game left even though we're down 2-0."
Set One: Oregon 25, Arizona State 21
The Sun Devils started off strong with a 5-3 lead after three missed serves from the Ducks. The teams battled back and forth, with Arizona State maintaining a lead for the first half of the set until the teams were tied at 13. Oregon took the lead at 14-13 and carried it throughout the rest of the set, with five total team blocks. Four kills from Burse helped the Sun Devils close the gap, but the Ducks' block led them to a 25-21 victory.
Set Two: Oregon 25, Arizona State 17
Arizona State started off the set down 5-2 with Oregon winning key scramble plays. The gap widened throughout the set as the Sun Devils struggled with tight passing and the Ducks put up four blocks and 20 team digs. At one point, the Sun Devils trailed by 11. Four kills from Jeremic helped get the Sun Devils within seven. A service and hitting error at the end led to a 25-17 Oregon win.
S2 | COURTNEY. LEFFEL. WOW. This dig by Courtney keeps the play alive, and the tip kill from Iva spoils Oregon's save!
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) October 26, 2019
Never give up. We are down 20-11. #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/t2rau1qNG0
Set Three: Arizona State 25, Oregon 14
The third set showed an entirely different Sun Devil team. While they trailed 2-0 at the start, two kills in a row from junior middle hitter Megan Beedie and two blocks gave Arizona State a 5-3 lead. The Sun Devils served tough, producing four aces and a five-point service run from Peterson. Arizona State continued to push forward as Mitrovic put down four kills and helped extend the lead to 20-12. A huge block from freshman middle hitter Kennedi Boyd and Jeremic sealed a 25-14 Sun Devil victory.
Set Four: Arizona State 25, Oregon 19
Arizona State and Oregon battled back and forth the entire set. With four lead changes before the score hit double digits, the Sun Devils challenged the Ducks with solid defense by producing 15 digs, six alone from Leffel. Two kills in a row from Mitrovic and an ace by Kovensky pushed Arizona State ahead to a 19-15 lead. A big solo block by Burse and an Oregon missed serve on set point solidified an Arizona State win at 25-19.
S4 | WHAT A RALLY. WHAT A BLOCK.
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) October 26, 2019
Jada Burse DENIES Oregon, we are up 23-17! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/60PC41xu4y
Set Five: Arizona State 15, Oregon 12
The Sun Devils started off the fifth set in a 4-0 hole with Oregon producing three kills in a row. After a block from Beedie and Jeremic and a couple of kills, Arizona State tied the game up 4-4. The back-and-forth final set proved intense, with three challenge calls on close plays. Mitrovic put away a kill at the side change, with the Sun Devils taking an 8-6 lead. A leveled attack from all of the Arizona State pin hitters, including a huge overpass from kill from Burse, led to a Sun Devil match point. Jeremic ended the match with a hammer down the line that resulted in a 15-12 Arizona State victory.
TWO REVERSE SWEEPS IN A ROW. THAT IS HOW YOU FIGHT!#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/Qh5YwfL0m0
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) October 26, 2019
Up Next
Arizona State faces off against Oregon State (9-11, 3-6 Pac-12) at Desert Financial Arena on Sunday, October 27 at 12 p.m. MST. Oregon State is coming off of a five-set thriller win against Arizona on Friday night. The match will feature Sparky's Halloween Party, with trick-or-treating prior to the noon start time. Fans are encouraged to wear costumes.