(Photo via Reece Andrews/WCSN)
In its first conference match of the season, Arizona State women’s volleyball traveled down to Tucson to take on the favorite Arizona, who had yet to lose a game at home this year.
But the Sun Devils stunned the Wildcats in an upset, winning the match 3-1 (23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-20).
Arizona started off strong with an 8-2 lead in the first set. Head coach David Rubio successfully used the Wildcats’ challenge early on a missed block touch. While Rubio’s squad began with momentum, sophomore outside hitter Geli Cyr was able to keep the Sun Devils close with three early kills.
ASU eventually tied it up at 19-19, but were unable to take the lead. Arizona junior outside hitter Jaelyn Hodge commanded a fierce presence for the Wildcats in the first set, leading Arizona to take it 25-23.
Both teams rallied back and forth in the second set, keeping the score within two points of each other for the majority of time. Cyr – who led the way in the first set – stayed hot with three kills. Senior libero Annika Larson-Nummer delivered three consecutive aces before the media timeout, with the Sun Devils leading 15-13. ASU was powerful on the attack in the set, with 17 total kills to keep the Wildcats trailing after their timeout. The Sun Devils took it 25-20 to tie up the match at one apiece.
From there, the Sun Devils didn’t look back. Senior outside hitter Iman Isanovic started the third set with three straight kills, followed by another three straight from junior outside hitter Marta Levinska to force Arizona to burn two consecutive timeouts down 10-3.
Hodge – who had quieted down in the latter half of the second set – lit back up to rally the comeback for the Wildcats, recording five kills to shift some momentum back to Arizona. With no answer from ASU, Arizona clawed back to hold set point and its first lead at 24-23. Yet, the Sun Devils regrouped after a timeout by head coach Sanja Tomasevic and took set three 26-24.
The fourth set saw a similar start, with ASU taking a 6-0 lead to set the tone early on. Just as it looked like the Sun Devils were ready to close the match, Arizona responded with some aggressive blocks from junior setter Emery Herman to bring it to 11-9.
But all three Sun Devil pin hitters locked in, going on another 6-0 run to secure the upset. With a powerful kill from Cyr, ASU took the set 25-20. The victory spoiled Arizona’s perfect home record and marked the Sun Devils’ first conference win.
Hodge led Arizona with 13 kills while sophomore middle blocker Alayna Johnson finished just behind her with 12.
Isanovic dominated the night, recording her fourth straight double-double with 18 kills and 12 digs. Levinska also shined with 17 kills and Cyr followed with 15, topping her career high.
ASU will stay on the road and travel to Boulder on Sunday to face Colorado. The match will begin at 12 pm MST on PAC-12 Insider.
