HONOLULU—The No. 25 Arizona State volleyball team rounded out the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational with a five-set win over Ohio, 25-16, 24-26, 26-24, 24-26, 15-8), on Sunday at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Sun Devils remain undefeated at 3-0 following the first weekend of competition, while Ohio fell to 1-2 on the year.
Junior Macey Gardner led ASU with 18 kills and 11 digs, recording her third double-double in as many games, while sophomore Bree Bailey notched 13 kills, six blocks, and a career high four service aces.
The Sun Devils came out strong in the opening set, recording 16 kills and a hitting percentage of .314, and holding the Bobcats to only six kills and a percentage of .000. A kill from Bailey sealed the opening frame, 25-16, while Gardner hit .500 with four kills and eight attempts.
Sets two, three, and four, were each decided by two points, before the Sun Devils opened the decisive set on a 9-1 run, assisted by a pair of back-to-back service aces from Bailey. Ohio held off match point twice in the fifth before sophomore Whitney Follette sealed the game with a kill up the middle at 15-8.
Up next, the Sun Devils return home to open the 2014 home slate, first hosting an exhibition match against Canada’s Mount Royal University on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. PT. The Residence Inn Challenge continues as ASU hosts UAB, Idaho State, and Iowa, Sept. 5-7. Sunday’s match against Iowa is set for an 11 a.m. PT start and will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
Tournament Notes:
-Junior Macey Gardner (Gilbert, Ariz.) led the team in kills in each of the three matches, and recorded a double-double in each: 10 kills, 10 digs vs. San Diego State, 16 kills, 10 digs vs. No. 17 Hawaii, and 18 kills, 11 digs vs. Ohio.
-With 44 kills in the opening weekend, Gardner has moved to No. 12 on the ASU career kills list with 1127, surpassing former teammate Erica Wilson (2009-12; 1125).
-Sophomore Bree Bailey (Highland, Utah) recorded a career high four service aces in the match vs. Ohio.
-Freshman libero Halle Harker (Bakersfield, Calif.) led the team with 39 digs over three matches, averaging 3.55/set.
-Harker and Mia Mazon (Phoenix, Ariz.) each made their Sun Devil debuts at the Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
-Through three matches the Sun Devils have held their opponents to a .099 hitting percentage.
-Through three matches, ASU has seen six instances with double-digit kills, while the Sun Devil opponents have only had two athletes surpass the double-digit mark.