ASU Volleyball: Sun Devils drop third straight after sweep by Utah

(Photo: Travis David V Whittaker/WCSN)

For the first time since Sept. 23, the Arizona State Sun Devils (13-8, 4-5) record fell below .500 in conference play, as they lost to Utah (12-8, 4-5) in three sets, (25-27, 23-25, 18-25) Friday night in Tempe

Arizona State’s season kill-leader, junior Ivana Jeremic, was held in check with just 4 kills and a -.136 hitting percentage in the loss. Friday night represented the fourth time in the past five matches that Jeremic was unable to reach double-digits in kills.

Head coach Sanja Tomasevic said Jeremic’s struggles in recent weeks carried over into the match.

“She’s been struggling in practice, she’s been struggling in games, and for Iva it’s just more mental,” Tomasevic said of the Sun Devils junior outside hitter, who watched the majority of the third set from the sidelines. “We thought maybe she was getting out of that funk, but I don’t know she’s back in it again.”

The only semblance of success for the Sun Devils offensively came in the play of Alyse Ford and Claire Kovensky. Ford, the senior transfer from USC, had 14 kills and a .293 hitting percentage, while Kovensky had 10 kills and a .364 hitting percentage. Overall, the Sun Devil offense was held to a .178 hitting percentage.

“Alyse was going up there and really banging the ball,” Tomasevic said. “Claire was hitting really unbelievable numbers tonight. She had really great stats tonight.”

Despite Kovensky’s impressive numbers, Tomasevic said she was disappointed with her decision-making on attacks late in the second set.

“When [Kovensky] had to score for us at the end of the [second set], when we gave her the ball with no blocks she tipped,” Tomasevic said. “It’s like ‘why did you tip that ball?’ And she says, ‘I don’t know.’ So, it’s like you know there’s character to take a swing at that ball.”

Friday night’s result was the continuation of a trend for Arizona State. In seven of the Sun Devils nine Pac-12 matches, the match has gone just three sets. For the season, more than half of ASU’s matches—11 out of 21– have gone the minimum. Tomasevic said having so many three set losses was disappointing, but the trend of three set matches is just how life goes in Pac-12 play.

“As a conference, it is what it is,” Tomasevic said. You will get out there and people are going to spank you, and then you’re going to come out there and you’re going to spank them. That’s just how it is.”

On the Utah side of things, freshman Megan Yett continued her success in Pac-12 play, recording double-digit kills for the fourth consecutive match. Yett’s 11 kills were good for a tie for the Utes team-high with season-leader Dani Drews and helped the Utes extend their winning streak to three games.

The Utes were able to out-serve and out-defend the Sun Devils, leading the match in both service aces as well as blocks.

Arizona State’s loss was their fourth in the past five matches. The Sun Devils return to action as they host the Colorado Buffaloes (11-9, 3-6) Sunday at 2 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena. Tomasevic said the team is capable of rebounding in Pac-12 play after falling below .500.

“It wasn’t like they were better than us. I mean, they ended up being better, but they beat us because we didn’t do what we were supposed to be doing,” Tomasevic said. “We’re still growing, we’re still young. You know, we got a taste of success which is awesome, and we can get back there, it’s just a couple of plays here and there.”

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