BOULDER, Colo. – Junior Noemie Glover set the Arizona State record for kills in the rally-scoring era with 31 as No. 8 Sun Devil Volleyball withstood the rally from No. 22 Colorado and won in five sets (25-19, 25-22, 18-25, 21-25, 15-12) at the CU Events Center on Saturday afternoon.
Notable stats
- In a battle of the top two teams in the Big 12, Arizona State (22-3, 13-1 Big 12) remains in firm position in first. ASU came out on top and has now won five in a row against Colorado (21-6, 11-4 Big 12).
- ASU improved to 8-2 against ranked teams this season. For head coach JJ Van Niel, it is his 16th ranked win.
- In five-set matches, Arizona State improves to 4-1 this season. Under Van Niel, ASU is 7-3. This was the first five-set loss for Colorado this year.
- Junior opposite Noemie Glover had a career high in kills and digs with 31 and 10, respectively, while hitting .411. Her 31 kills set an Arizona State rally-scoring era record for kills in a match. The last time a Sun Devil had 30 kills was Marta Levinska on Oct. 1, 2023. All-time, 31 kills is tied for ninth. Additionally, this was her fourth match in her career with 20-plus kills (all this season). It also was her second career double-double (both this year), her first with kills and digs.
- The Sun Devils had 10 blocks tonight, which was the 16th match with double-digit blocks this season. The Sun Devils have had double-digit blocks in 11 of the 14 Big 12 matches.
- Graduate middle blocker Colby Neal was one block away from a double-double for the second match in a row. She had 10 kills and nine blocks, just like against Arizona. She reached double-digit kills for the third time this season, fifth time in her career. Additionally, this was her fifth match with nine or more blocks this year.
- Senior setter Sydney Henry had a breakout match, earning a season-high 50 assists. This was her seventh time in her career reaching 50 or more assists. She also had eight digs, three kills and two blocks.
- Reaching double-digit kills for the 10th match in a row, senior outside hitter Bailey Miller had 14 kills in the win. She added six digs and three blocks.
- Sophomore libero Faith Frame had a team-high 11 digs, her 14th match this year in double figures.
Set one: ASU 25, Colorado 19
The set stayed close to start. Colorado went on a 4-1 run to take the 8-5 lead until Arizona State scored two in a row to get within one, down 8-7. From there, it was back and forth until an error from the Buffs tied it at 11-11. Colorado took back the lead by scoring four in a row heading into the media timeout, ASU trailing 15-11. With Ella Lewis serving, the Sun Devils went on a massive 10-0 run to lead 22-16, a run that saw two aces from Lewis, three blocks and kills from Miller and Glover. Glover’s sixth kill of the set won it for Arizona State, 25-19.
Set two: ASU 25, Colorado 22
The momentum stayed in ASU’s favor as Henry served the team to four-straight points to open the set. Colorado fought back in it, scoring points in pairs to eventually tie it at 8-8 until a kill from Tatum Parrott put Arizona State back on top. The teams traded points for a while, with a kill from Glover giving the Sun Devils the 15-13 advantage heading into the media timeout. Out of the break, the Buffs scored the next two to tie it up before two of their errors gave the Sun Devils back the two-point lead at 17-15. A 3-1 run from Colorado made it a one-point game until ASU scored three in a row, two coming from blocks from Glover and Colby Neal, to push the lead to 23-19. The Buffs fought off two set points, making it 24-22 and bringing a Sun Devil timeout. Glover’s kill out of the breather won the set, 25-22.
Set three: Colorado 25, ASU 18
After trailing early, the Sun Devils scored three in a row, capped off by an ace from Jillian Neal, to go up 4-3. The teams kept it close until the Buffs scored three in a row to lead 12-10, bringing a timeout from Van Niel. Following some back and forth after the break, Colorado went on a 6-1 run to make it 19-13, forcing ASU’s second timeout during that stretch. Challenges late in the set delayed the end, but a few kills from Glover were not enough to overcome the deficit as the Buffs took the set with three-straight points, 25-18.
Set four: Colorado 25, ASU 21
A few Colorado errors gave Arizona State the 7-4 lead, but the Buffs strung together four-straight points to go up 8-7 until Glover’s back row kill tied it up. Three in a row for Colorado gave the home team a 12-9 lead, and ASU called a timeout in response. With kills and blocks from Glover and Colby Neal, the Sun Devils put together four unanswered points to tie it up at 14-14. After trading some points, the Buffs went back up by two, 18-16, and forced the Sun Devils’ final timeout. After Colorado added another to the lead, Parrott’s kill down the line ended the run, making it 19-17. A 4-1 run for the Buffs pushed their advantage to 23-18, but kills from Glover and Miller cut it to 23-20 and brought Colorado’s first timeout. The comeback fell short as the Buffs won 25-21 to force a fifth set.
Set five: ASU 15, Colorado 12
The Buffs scored three in a row to lead 5-3 early until a back row kill from Glover stopped the run and a kill from Miller tied it. Colorado responded with another run of three to make it 8-5 at the media timeout. Kills from Henry and Colby Neal made it a 9-7 deficit. After trailing by three again, Glover pounded one near the endline and Colorado committed a net error to make it a one-point game, 11-10. Jillian Neal’s second ace of the day tied it at 12-12, bringing a Colorado timeout. Two kills from Glover got her past the 30 kill mark and put ASU at match point, 14-12. After a second Buffs timeout, a kill from Parrott won the set, 15-12, and the match. The Sun Devils ended on a 5-0 run to win.
Up next
Arizona State will stay on the road for the next two, traveling to UCF on Wednesday, Nov. 15, before heading to Houston on Friday, Nov. 17.