(Photo: James Powel/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils faced off against the Boise State Broncos to finish off the Boise State Classic on Saturday.
The final tournament game for both teams ended with Arizona State losing in four sets 18-25, 17-25, 26-24, 22-25.
Senior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell led the Sun Devils with 17 kills, and junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro finished with 15 kills and four blocks.
As a team, the Sun Devils had a hitting percentage of just .196, compared to .272 from the Broncos.
On the other side of the net, junior outside hitter Sierra Nobley recorded her sixth double-double of the year with 15 kills and 15 digs.
The first set started off with both teams trading points.
Then, tied at eight, Boise State went on a 4-1 run to take a 12-9 lead.
The Sun Devils battled back before another run from the Broncos put Boise State ahead 17-12.
Boise State took a 21-14 lead, then the teams traded points before Nobley’s kill ended the set with a 25-18 win for the Broncos.
Boise State came out strong in the second set, starting out 6-2, and continued to extend its lead throughout the set.
After Arizona State scored to make it 15-10, Boise State went on a four point run to take a nine-point lead.
The Broncos remained in control and finished out the set 25-17.
After losing the first two sets, the Sun Devils showed some resiliency in the third, starting up 4-1 and responding to two Boise State runs to remain in contention.
The set was tied at 21 when the Sun Devils went on a three point run to take a 24-21 lead.
The Broncos responded with a three point run of their own to tie it, before Arizona State won the next two points to take the set 26-24.
The fourth set saw a lot of back and forth battles, with four lead changes and seven ties.
The Sun Devils took an 11-7 lead to start the set, then the Broncos responded with a five point run to take a one-point lead.
After Arizona State tied the game at 14, Boise State responded with another run, this time of three points, to take a 17-14 lead.
The Sun Devils cut the lead to one after an error from the Broncos that made the score 22-21.
Boise State responded with a two point run and finished the set off 25-22.
With the loss, the Sun Devils fall to 7-5 on the year. They will begin conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 21st, when they travel down to Tucson, Arizona, to face the Arizona Wildcats.
