(Photo: Tyler Rittenhouse/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-12 overall, 0-10 in Pac-12 play) faced the No. 15 University of Oregon Ducks (13-5 overall, 6-4 in Pac-12 play) in a three-set sweep that saw the Ducks come out on top 25-20, 25-21 and 25-14
Offensively, the Devils struggled to pose much of a threat to the high-powered offense of the Ducks. ASU’s senior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro got a game-leading 14 kills on a .226 hitting percentage. For the Ducks, sophomore outside hitter Jolie Rasmussen got the most kills on the team with 10. Attack errors were a major point of concern, and the Devils gave away easy points as they had 19 compared to 10 for Oregon. They also accumulated a total of seven service errors to round out an underwhelming performance.
The big front line of the Ducks posed a threat to ASU’s offense. They had 11 total blocks thanks in part to six from junior middle blocker Sumeet Gill and five a piece from sophomore right side hitter Willow Johnson and sophomore middle blocker Ronika Stone. The Devils only managed four blocks total, making it relatively easy for the outside hitters to get points on kills. This was evident as the Devils maintained an attack percentage of .165 while the Ducks hit .323.
ASU senior libero Halle Harker increased her impressive career digs total to 1,832 after 19 more tonight. SHe leads the Pac-12 in that category. After some inconsistency at the setter position, it seems as if the Devils’ head coach Sanja Tomasevic has found her starter in sophomore Nicole Peterson, and she added 32 assists and six digs in the team’s losing effort.
All season long Tomasevic has stressed that ASU’s passing and setting percentage needed to improve. However, the Devils took a step back tonight, passing a meager 31.6 percent compared to the Ducks 49.3 percent. Passing like that is not going to get it done for the Devils in the Pac-12, a conference filled with some of the best women’s volleyball teams in the nation.
The Devils take on the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal for the second time in conference play on Friday, Oct.27, in a game where they are still in search of their first win. The reigning champion Cardinal swept the Devils in three sets back on Sept. 27 by scores of 25-12, 25-18 and 26-24.
