(Photo: James Powel/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils kicked off the LBSU Baden Invitational with a match against the Pepperdine Waves. The Waves came out on top, sweeping the Sun Devils in three sets 25-22, 25-17 and 25-20.
Fast-forward in the first set, tied at 17, Pepperdine went on a two point run.
With the score now at 19-17, the teams traded points and a kill by sophomore middle blocker Tarah Wylie for the Waves put the score at 23-21, forcing a timeout from Arizona State head coach Stevie Mussie.
Pepperdine finished the set off with a kill from sophomore outside hitter Nikki Lyons, and took the first set by a score of 25-22.
Freshman middle blocker Jasmine Gross led the Waves after the first set with four kills on five attempts, and senior outside hitter Maya McClendon led the Sun Devils with four kills and a hitting percentage of .375.
The second set started on a good note for the Sun Devils, scoring the first three points of the set.
Sophomore setter Kylie Pickrell then entered the game for the Sun Devils, subbing in for sophomore setter Caroline Pearson.
After the 3-0 start for ASU, however, the Waves countered with a 6-1 run. A few points later the teams found themselves tied at 11.
Pepperdine then proceeded to go up 20-16, after a couple of two-point swings later in the set. Mussie called a timeout after the Waves took this four-point lead.
Coming out of the timeout did not go as planned for the Sun Devils, as Pepperdine followed the timeout with a 5-1 run to win the set 25-17.
The third set started just as close as the other two, as Pepperdine jumped out in front 6-3, but the Sun Devils responded and tied the set at seven.
Pepperdine followed with a three point run to take a 10-7 lead, forcing a timeout from ASU.
After a small run by Pepperdine, and another timeout from Mussie, the Sun Devils went on a two-point swing to cut the Waves lead to 17-14.
The Waves offset this run with a 3-0 run of their own, taking a 20-14 lead.
Pepperdine would eventually come out of the set with a 25-20 win, and a sweep of the Sun Devils to kick off the weekend tournament.
Lyons led the Waves with 10 kills, and Gross posted a hitting percentage of .471. The Sun Devils were led by McClendon, who posted nine kills, and junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro with nine kills, as well as a hitting percentage of .278.
ASU continues its tournament with matches against the Harvard Crimson and Long Beach State 49ers on Saturday.
