(Photo: Travis Whittaker/WCSN)
Arizona State is on a three-game winning streak after sweeping Oregon State in a quick three-set match (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Sunday afternoon.
Arizona State came into the third set full of energy which gave them a sizable lead over the Beavers.
Hitters and setters were in tune, and the defense was alert, creating the perfect combination for a sweep. Arizona State pulled away with the help of 17 Beaver errors throughout the match.
Senior outside hitters, Jada Burse and Ivana Jeremic, in addition to junior middle blocker, Megan Beedie, were the triple threat of the match, collectively leading the Sun Devils in scoring. Burse and Beedie both racked up nine kills apiece, and Jeremic didn’t trail far behind with eight kills.
“It’s what we practice all week long,” Beedie said. “It’s really nothing new.”
However, OSU junior outside Maddie Goings produced 10 kills for Oregon State, leading both teams in scoring. OSU freshman outside Cecilee Max-Brown also tallied nine kills, keeping up with seasoned veterans like Jeremic and Burse.
Although Oregon State managed to lead both offenses in kills, it wasn’t enough to end the match with a win. This was in part due to their error-heavy offense and defense.
Arizona State’s hitters also benefitted from strong setting from Nicole Peterson and Noa Miller, who produced 34 assists between them. Peterson was able to get 22 assists individually, displaying the senior’s ability to find a rhythm with the hitters.
“I think they did a really good job of running the offense and keeping us in a rhythm,” said Jada Burse of her setters.
On the other side of the net, Beaver senior setter, Montanna Gubrud, earned 24 assists.
The first set consisted of several rallies due to the scrappy Oregon State team. The Beavers rarely gave up a point without putting up a fight. Both Burse and Beedie led the Sun Devils in kills racking up five and three kills in the first set. Nicole Peterson and Noa Miller found a steady rhythm with their hitters and maintained an offensive presence in the first set.
Sophomore middle blocker, Lindsey Schell and fellow outside Goings, both had four kills for the Beavers in the first set. Outside hitter, Cecilee Max-Brown, also produced three kills for Oregon State which put the team ahead of the Sun Devils in kills, although it was not enough to clinch the set.
Arizona State struggled to put up a solid block early on in the match, as Beedie and Jeremic were the only players who tallied block in the first set. The Sun Devils also struggled with serving, ending the set with five service errors.
The Sun Devils maintained a steady lead in the second set keeping Oregon State at a secure distance. Ivana Jeremic stepped up her offensive game, ending the set with seven kills and getting herself on the leaderboard.
Burse also continued to lead the Sun Devil offense with a total of seven kills. OSU hitters, Schell and Goings, carried the fairly timid Oregon State offense racking up three kills each. Arizona State continued to struggle with service errors ending with a total of six in the second set alone.
Both teams came into the match off of exciting five-set wins yet it was the Sun Devils who managed to continue their victory streak.
Head Coach Sanja Tomasevic said there have been “lessons learned along the way” throughout conference play, and their next match on the road against No. 18 Utah will determine if the Sun Devils have learned from their loss against the Utes in early October.
Arizona State travels to Salt Lake City to face No. 18 Utah Friday, Nov. 1. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. Arizona time.
