SALT LAKE CITY – With five players reaching double-figures in kills, Arizona State volleyball battled No. 17 Utah to a five-set loss (29-27, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 15-8) in the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Friday night.
Notable Stats
Set One: Utah 29, Arizona State 27
The teams played a tight set with 19 ties and eight lead changes. A stuff block from Mitrovic and Avital Jaloba gave ASU the spark early to go up 4-3. Following a lead change, Noa Miller served four-straight points, earning an ace on one serve, to take back the lead at 16-14. The Utes went on a 4-0 run to get their lead to 23-20, forcing both timeouts from the Sun Devils. A kill from Beedie capped off three in a row for ASU, causing another tie. The set needed extra points to decide a winner, Utah getting to four set points and Arizona State getting to one. Ultimately, the home team pulled it out, winning 29-27.
Set Two: Arizona State 25, Utah 23
Arizona State held the lead for most of the second set. An overpass kill from Utah native Kennedi Boyd pushed ASU's lead to 9-7. A 4-1 run made it 15-11 in favor of the Sun Devils, a run that saw two kills from Mitrovic. Utah responded with a 6-0 run to tie the set at 20-20, but Beedie sparked Arizona State with back-to-back kills to take back the lead. At set point, Beedie tipped the ball behind the block for the 25-23 win.
Set Three: Utah 25, Arizona State 21
The third set was another close set for the first half. An ace from Mitrovic tied it up at 7-7, but the Utes started to build their lead after that. They went on a 4-1 run to lead 11-8. From there, it was all Utah until Arizona State put together five in a row with Peterson serving, making it a two-point contest at 21-19. However, the home team was able to pull it out to win 25-21.
Set Four: Arizona State 25, Utah 23
Playing from behind for most of the fourth set, Arizona State got back in the lead late. At the media timeout, the Sun Devils were down 15-12. From there, they went on a 4-0 run behind three kills from Mitrovic to lead 16-15, forcing a timeout from the Utes. Three-straight stuff blocks for ASU pushed its lead to 23-19. Kills from Mitrovic and Kovensky finished off the set to win 25-23.
Set Five: Utah 15, Arizona State 8
The Sun Devils jumped out to a 3-1 lead after a kill from Jeremic, but the Utes responded by scoring three in a row. At the switch, Utah led 8-6 and never looked back. ASU allowed the home squad to go on a 7-0 run to lead 13-6. Arizona State earned a couple more points, but Utah ended up winning 15-8.
Up Next
Arizona State will play at Colorado (9-12, 1-10 Pac-12) on Sunday at 1 p.m. MST. The Buffaloes are coming off their first conference win after taking down the Arizona Wildcats in five sets. The match will be streamed on the Colorado Live Stream.
Notable Stats
- The five-set thriller ended the three-match win streak for Arizona State (13-9, 3-6 Pac-12). After four five-set match losses in conference play, Utah (15-7, 7-4 Pac-12) finally snapped the streak with this win.
- Arizona State is now 4-2 in five-set matches this season, 2-1 in Pac-12 play.
- Five players reached double figures in kills for the first time this season. It was the first time ASU achieved this since August 29, 2015 against New Mexico. That match also went to five sets.
- The last time ASU out-blocked Utah for the first time since 2015 in Salt Lake City. Tonight, the Sun Devils had 11.0 blocks to the Utes' 10.0.
- Outside hitters Andrea Mitrovic and Ivana Jeremic led the way with 17 each, a season-high for Jeremic. Pin hitters Claire Kovensky and Iman Isanovic and 12 and 11, respectively, while middle blocker Megan Beedie chipped in 10.
- Beedie had a career-high eight blocks, all of which were block assists.
- Senior libero Courtney Leffel had 20 digs, one of three Sun Devils to reach double figures in digs. This was her 10th match this year with 20 or more digs.
- Senior setters Nicole Peterson and Callie Jones both had double-doubles in the match. Peterson had 33 assists and 14 digs, both season highs for her. Jones had 20 assists and 14 digs.
Set One: Utah 29, Arizona State 27
The teams played a tight set with 19 ties and eight lead changes. A stuff block from Mitrovic and Avital Jaloba gave ASU the spark early to go up 4-3. Following a lead change, Noa Miller served four-straight points, earning an ace on one serve, to take back the lead at 16-14. The Utes went on a 4-0 run to get their lead to 23-20, forcing both timeouts from the Sun Devils. A kill from Beedie capped off three in a row for ASU, causing another tie. The set needed extra points to decide a winner, Utah getting to four set points and Arizona State getting to one. Ultimately, the home team pulled it out, winning 29-27.
Set Two: Arizona State 25, Utah 23
Arizona State held the lead for most of the second set. An overpass kill from Utah native Kennedi Boyd pushed ASU's lead to 9-7. A 4-1 run made it 15-11 in favor of the Sun Devils, a run that saw two kills from Mitrovic. Utah responded with a 6-0 run to tie the set at 20-20, but Beedie sparked Arizona State with back-to-back kills to take back the lead. At set point, Beedie tipped the ball behind the block for the 25-23 win.
S2 | MEGAN BEEDIE!!
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 2, 2019
After a kill for the sideout, she gets the overpass kill to put ASU up 22-20! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/3tWgspgWno
Set Three: Utah 25, Arizona State 21
The third set was another close set for the first half. An ace from Mitrovic tied it up at 7-7, but the Utes started to build their lead after that. They went on a 4-1 run to lead 11-8. From there, it was all Utah until Arizona State put together five in a row with Peterson serving, making it a two-point contest at 21-19. However, the home team was able to pull it out to win 25-21.
Set Four: Arizona State 25, Utah 23
Playing from behind for most of the fourth set, Arizona State got back in the lead late. At the media timeout, the Sun Devils were down 15-12. From there, they went on a 4-0 run behind three kills from Mitrovic to lead 16-15, forcing a timeout from the Utes. Three-straight stuff blocks for ASU pushed its lead to 23-19. Kills from Mitrovic and Kovensky finished off the set to win 25-23.
S5 | LET'S PLAY FIVE!!
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 2, 2019
Claire powers through the block on set point to win 25-23 and send us to a fifth set! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/1arAtwb9mY
Set Five: Utah 15, Arizona State 8
The Sun Devils jumped out to a 3-1 lead after a kill from Jeremic, but the Utes responded by scoring three in a row. At the switch, Utah led 8-6 and never looked back. ASU allowed the home squad to go on a 7-0 run to lead 13-6. Arizona State earned a couple more points, but Utah ended up winning 15-8.
Up Next
Arizona State will play at Colorado (9-12, 1-10 Pac-12) on Sunday at 1 p.m. MST. The Buffaloes are coming off their first conference win after taking down the Arizona Wildcats in five sets. The match will be streamed on the Colorado Live Stream.