SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Junior outside hitter Una Vajagić had a career-high 20 kills in No. 12 Sun Devil Volleyball’s sweep over No. 14 Minnesota (26-24, 25-17, 25-23) on Friday night at the State Farm Volleyball Showcase in the Sanford Pentagon.
Notable stats
- Arizona State (2-0) hit .325 in the win over Minnesota (0-1). This was the second of three ranked matchups in a row to begin the season for ASU.
- Head coach JJ Van Niel improved to 18-9 against ranked teams in his career.
- Junior Una Vajagić notched 20 kills (match high) on a blistering .500 clip for a new personal best. This was her 10th match in a row with double-digit kills. She also added eight digs.
- Freshman setter Elle Mottola earned her first double-double with 42 assists and 10 digs. Both of those are new personal bests.
- The two other pin hitters Noemie Glover and Aniya Clinton reached double figures in kills as well with 11 and 10, respectively. For Glover, a senior opposite, she had 11 kills for her 23rd match in a row in double figures. Clinton, a graduate outside hitter, made her Sun Devil debut and hit .226.
- Junior libero Faith Frame had a team-best 11 digs, making it her eight match in a row with double-digit digs.
- Middle blockers junior Zoey Burgess and senior Ella Lomigora each added four kills. Lomigora also had four blocks, while Burgess had three blocks and two aces (the first of her career).
- Junior defensive specialist Piper Rama notched a new career high in digs with eight, adding an ace as well.
Set one: ASU 26, Minnesota 24
After trailing by a few early on, the Sun Devils went on a 5-0 run with Rama at the service line, a block from Glover and Lomigora capping it off to make it 7-4. ASU added to its lead with the help of Burgess, who had three kills and an ace, the latter pushing the lead to 13-10. Minnesota fought back and took the 18-16 lead after a 6-1 run, forcing an Arizona State timeout. Vajagić put the ball away for three sideouts in a row to keep tying it up, but the Gophers went back on top at 22-20. Out of the Sun Devils’ final timeout, a serving error got them the sideout and an ace from Jillian Neal knotted it up at 22-22. A key challenge in extra points went ASU’s way, giving the team set point at 25-24. Then a cross-court hammer from Glover capped it off, 26-24.
Set two: ASU 25, Minnesota 17
The Sun Devils got going early in the second, scoring four points in a row with two blocks and Isabella Costantini serving to make it 6-2. The block continued to roll for ASU, earning a few more with Burgess to push the lead to 9-3. However, Minnesota responded with a 6-1 run to get within one, 12-11. Kills from Vajagić and Glover added some cushion, 15-12. Costantini’s tough serving drove ASU to another run of four, with an ace and two kills from Vajagić, to bring it to 18-12 and force a Minnesota timeout. The Sun Devils held strong in the last part of the set, a block from Glover and Burgess sealing the win at 25-17.
Set three: ASU 25, Minnesota 23
The momentum stayed with Arizona State in the third set, going up 5-2 early on with a kill from Vajagić. Lomigora caught fire, getting a block and two kills to push the lead to 11-6. Vajagić got her 16th kill to make it 16-11, but Minnesota battled back. The Gophers took the lead at 21-20, forcing the Sun Devils to use both timeouts along the way. The dynamic duo of Glover and Vajagić brought the heat down the stretch, combining for ASU’s final three points to win, 25-23.
Up next
Arizona State’s second match at the State Farm Volleyball Showcase is tomorrow at 12 p.m. MST/2 p.m. CDT against No. 20 USC. That match will be live on FS1.
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