(Photo via Ritisha Thakker/WCSN)
In the third set, fifth-seeded Arizona State volleyball (28-6, 14-6 Pac-12) was just one point away from the team’s second NCAA tournament win in Provo, Utah. A victory would mark the first time in program history with two postseason wins.
With a two-set lead, senior opposite hitter Marta Levinska came out of a timeout and delivered a kill to give the Sun Devils match point. However, fourth-seeded BYU (25-7, 13-5 Big 12) quickly bounced back with two straight points to make the score 24-21. ASU needed someone to cap off the match and apply the dagger.
Levinska answered the call for a final time.
The Latvian notched her 17th and final kill of the night to seal a sweep — ASU’s 20th of the season — over the Cougars, 25-20, 25-21, 25-21. It stamped the Sun Devils 28th win on the season, which is now in sole possession for second place in school history.
After the kill, a fiery Levinska appeared to have said something towards the BYU-favored crowd. At the time, it was unclear towards whom those words were directed.
“I said [the words] to the fans that were up in the stands, and they didn’t look that happy so I was just trying to hype them up,” Levinska said.
Levinska logged her seventh double-double of the season with 17 kills and 10 digs. Her .533 clip barely surpassed the program tournament record set Friday night by junior outside hitter Geli Cyr in the Sun Devils’ first round win over Georgia.
In addition, Levinska tallied a season-high five service aces on the night. The serving success moved her into the top-10 in school history for career aces at 106.
“I think I just tried to stay aggressive, (and) focused on my toss and just hitting the ball where I want to hit it, and going for it,” Levinska said when asked about her serving. “And I’m really happy it paid off.”
The serving game has been a key strength for the Sun Devils all season long, as their collective 2.03 aces per set ranks third in the nation. On Saturday, that figure was 2.33 aces per set with two coming in the first set, four in the second, and one in the third. The four aces in the second frame proved to be the most crucial, as they equaled the four-point differential in the set’s 25-21 score.
“We exert a lot of serving pressure on them,” head coach JJ Van Niel said. “I think our team does a really nice job of serving tough and it just puts so much pressure on the other teams.”
One consistent theme across ASU’s two tournament wins so far has been finishing first sets strong. On Friday night against Georgia, the Sun Devils pulled away from the Bulldogs with a 3-0 scoring run to take the first set.
On Saturday night, the story of the match lied within the first set once again. After ASU took a 20-16 lead and seemingly had all momentum, BYU called its second and final timeout. After the break, the Sun Devils were met with resistance from the Cougars, who shortened the deficit to three with the score being 23-20. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough as two Levinska kills sealed the 25-20 first set victory for ASU.
While in different fashion, all three sets Saturday were brought within three points, before a Levinska kill sealed each set victory for the Sun Devils.
“The first set, it always gives you the confidence boost you need,” Levinska said. “I think we just gained so much confidence and we didn’t stop.”
For the third time in school history and the first time since 1995, ASU is going to the Sweet 16. It will face No. 1 seed Stanford (27-3, 19-1 Pac-12) on Dec. 7 in Palo Alto. The Sun Devils faced the Cardinal twice this season and went 1-1 across the two matches. The two squads most recently played each other in October when ASU swept Stanford for its only Pac-12 Conference loss of the season.
Everyone on the Sun Devils, including senior middle blocker Claire Jeter, is eager to face the mighty Bay Area foe for a third time.
“It’s a clean slate now, it’s 0-0 basically,” Jeter said. “I think it’s time to show when it really matters most and I think we’re very excited.”
