TUCSON, Ariz. – Capping off the regular season with a bang, Arizona State volleyball took down Arizona in five sets (25-18, 11-25, 26-24, 20-25, 17-15) to complete the season sweep over the Wildcats for the first time since 2007.
Notable Stats
Arizona State head coach Sanja Tomasevic
"I'm super proud of the way we played under pressure. It wasn't a pretty win, but we knew the importance of this game. We have never been in this situation before where a match could get us in or out of the NCAA tournament. I'm proud of the girls and how they were able to execute at the end. It's a tough place to play here. This season, we have had a lot of records broken and have done things that we haven't done for a long time here. I'm super proud of the team. This is just the beginning for ASU volleyball."
Set One: Arizona State 25, Arizona 18
The Sun Devils jumped out front right from the start. A 5-1 run with a kill and solo block from Iman Isanovic made it 8-4 for ASU. Arizona responded with three points in a row, but errors and a stuff block by Burse pushed Arizona State to a 4-0 run to get the lead up to 13-8. The Sun Devils strung together four in a row again with two kills from Burse to make it a 17-9 advantage that would hold to the end of the set. The Wildcats fought off two set points before Megan Beedie tipped it behind the block for the kill and the 25-18 win.
Set Two: Arizona 25, Arizona State 11
Arizona came out strong in the second set, scoring the first three points. A block from Burse and Beedie cut into the deficit, making it 9-6, but the Wildcats took control. They went on an 9-1 run to make it 19-8. ASU would drop the second set 25-11.
Set Three: Arizona State 26, Arizona 24
ASU scored four in a row to go up 8-4 early, a run that saw two kills from Mitrovic. Arizona responded with three-straight points to get within one before Arizona State started to pull away. A 4-0 run pushed the Sun Devils' lead to 21-13 after three-straight kills from Kovensky. However, the Wildcats got back in it again with a 5-0 run to make it 21-18 and force a timeout from the Sun Devils. Arizona fought off three set points, but Arizona State was able to hold off the Cats to win 26-24.
Set Four: Arizona 25, Arizona State 20
The fourth set was similar to the third. The Wildcats got up big early, 9-2, forcing an early timeout from the Sun Devils. ASU scored four in a row to make it 12-8, but Arizona did not relinquish the lead, scoring four-straight points to make it 17-9. Arizona State put together a 5-0 run late in the set, but Arizona finished the set to win 25-20 and force a fifth set.
Set Five: Arizona State 17, Arizona 15
The final set was a battle. ASU took the lead at 7-6 following two-straight errors from the home team, but Arizona led 8-7 at the switch. Following the media timeout, the Sun Devils went on a 4-0 run to go up 11-8. The Wildcats took back the lead with a 4-0 run of their own. It was a battle back and forth until Arizona got to match point. A challenge on the block changed the call when UofA thought it was over to tie it at 14-14. Arizona State got to match point and Burse won it with a stuff block, 17-15.
Up Next
Arizona State awaits its NCAA Tournament fate. The selection show is on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. MST live on ESPNU. Follow along on our social media pages to see updates.
OUR STATE?? ??#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/6uyIxKUhXQ
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 30, 2019
Notable Stats
- Arizona State (17-14, 9-11 Pac-12) finished the regular season with a win over in-state rival Arizona (15-17, 5-15 Pac-12) on the road.
- Since joining the Pac-12 in 1986, this season marks the 11th nine-win Pac-12 season for ASU, the first since 2014. In the past 19 years, it is just the fourth time reaching nine conference wins.
- ASU now wins the full Territorial Cup point for the Territorial Cup Series.
- The Sun Devils had not won in Tucson since 2007. That season was also the last time ASU had a season sweep over Arizona.
- The Sun Devils are 7-4 in five-set matches this season, 5-3 in the Pac-12. Eleven matches going to five is the most since 2014 when they played 14.
- Senior libero Courtney Leffel is now in eighth place in the record books for digs in a single season at ASU with 566. She passed both Stephanie Preach (2013) and Christy Nore (1988). She is one dig away from breaking into the top five for digs in a career at ASU.
- Leffel also had her 15th match with 20 or more digs with 22. This was her 10th match in a row reaching double figures in digs.
- Junior outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic led the Sun Devils with 19 kills, as well as seven digs and two blocks.
- Two other Sun Devils reached double figures in kills as well, Jada Burse with 16 and Claire Kovensky with 10. For Burse, that tied her ASU career high.
- Callie Jones notched her seventh double-double of the season with a team-high 25 assists and 12 digs.
- Freshman middle blocker Kennedi Boyd had a team-high four blocks.
Arizona State head coach Sanja Tomasevic
"I'm super proud of the way we played under pressure. It wasn't a pretty win, but we knew the importance of this game. We have never been in this situation before where a match could get us in or out of the NCAA tournament. I'm proud of the girls and how they were able to execute at the end. It's a tough place to play here. This season, we have had a lot of records broken and have done things that we haven't done for a long time here. I'm super proud of the team. This is just the beginning for ASU volleyball."
DOWN GO THE CATS??
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) November 30, 2019
For the first time since 2007, @SunDevilVB beats Arizona in Tucson and gets the season sweep ?? ?? pic.twitter.com/vyy59nwtTS
Set One: Arizona State 25, Arizona 18
The Sun Devils jumped out front right from the start. A 5-1 run with a kill and solo block from Iman Isanovic made it 8-4 for ASU. Arizona responded with three points in a row, but errors and a stuff block by Burse pushed Arizona State to a 4-0 run to get the lead up to 13-8. The Sun Devils strung together four in a row again with two kills from Burse to make it a 17-9 advantage that would hold to the end of the set. The Wildcats fought off two set points before Megan Beedie tipped it behind the block for the kill and the 25-18 win.
S1 | Sun Devils take the first set, 25-18!! ??#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/JqV0AW1Kb5
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 30, 2019
Set Two: Arizona 25, Arizona State 11
Arizona came out strong in the second set, scoring the first three points. A block from Burse and Beedie cut into the deficit, making it 9-6, but the Wildcats took control. They went on an 9-1 run to make it 19-8. ASU would drop the second set 25-11.
Set Three: Arizona State 26, Arizona 24
ASU scored four in a row to go up 8-4 early, a run that saw two kills from Mitrovic. Arizona responded with three-straight points to get within one before Arizona State started to pull away. A 4-0 run pushed the Sun Devils' lead to 21-13 after three-straight kills from Kovensky. However, the Wildcats got back in it again with a 5-0 run to make it 21-18 and force a timeout from the Sun Devils. Arizona fought off three set points, but Arizona State was able to hold off the Cats to win 26-24.
S3 | Sun Devils hold on for the win in the third set, 26-24!! ??
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 30, 2019
We are leading 2-1 in the match! Let's FINISH! #FORKSUP pic.twitter.com/q7GolZyoRB
Set Four: Arizona 25, Arizona State 20
The fourth set was similar to the third. The Wildcats got up big early, 9-2, forcing an early timeout from the Sun Devils. ASU scored four in a row to make it 12-8, but Arizona did not relinquish the lead, scoring four-straight points to make it 17-9. Arizona State put together a 5-0 run late in the set, but Arizona finished the set to win 25-20 and force a fifth set.
Set Five: Arizona State 17, Arizona 15
The final set was a battle. ASU took the lead at 7-6 following two-straight errors from the home team, but Arizona led 8-7 at the switch. Following the media timeout, the Sun Devils went on a 4-0 run to go up 11-8. The Wildcats took back the lead with a 4-0 run of their own. It was a battle back and forth until Arizona got to match point. A challenge on the block changed the call when UofA thought it was over to tie it at 14-14. Arizona State got to match point and Burse won it with a stuff block, 17-15.
S5 | JADA BURSE. ??
— Sun Devil Volleyball (@SunDevilVB) November 30, 2019
We are tied at 8-8!! #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/VrOrPZ8tll
Up Next
Arizona State awaits its NCAA Tournament fate. The selection show is on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. MST live on ESPNU. Follow along on our social media pages to see updates.