Volleyball

No. 9 ASU dominates at the net and overcomes third-set scare against Utah

TEMPE – The scoreboard read 24-24. Fans erupted in cheers. Arizona State head coach JJ Van Niel won a challenge, giving Arizona State a chance to combat. Fans held their breath as both teams gnawed at each other through long rallies, wearing each other down.

At first glance, the matchup seemed to feature two hungry, diligent teams battling hard for the win. However, that tale was only true for the third set.

From the start, the Sun Devils’ battle against the Utah Utes seemed like it would replicate the results from their last three matches: a quick, painless sweep. Though it appeared that way through the first two sets, the third set would bring a different experience. After dropping a set to the Utes, their ability to shift mentally and re-group would enable No. 9 ASU to leave with their fourth-straight win.

“We just had to dial back in and hold our huddle a little bit longer and look to each other more,” Fourth-year Ella Lomigora said. “Go at our speed and not let them control the set.”

They did. The Sun Devils rallied back with a 25-17 fourth-set win, coming back from a 26-24 loss in the third.

A primary catalyst in the win was the utterly unstoppable defensive execution that came specifically from the net. ASU recorded a new season-best in blocks, tallying 18.

“We were able to get them in a lot of trouble. We were getting them off the net, and they’re pretty physical,” Van Niel said. “I felt like we just executed really well today.”

Not only did the Sun Devils stomp on their own personal record, but they also set a new high in the Big 12. They are now at the top of the list for blocks through four sets.

Their execution held the Utes to a hitting percentage of .024, highlighting the sheer scale of the performance.

At the forefront of the performance was Lomigora, who tied a career high with 10 blocks.

“[Lomigora] did a nice job of just staying on assignment and knew her job. She always does,” Van Niel said. “She just did a really good job of executing the game plan and seeing the right things.”

In contribution to the 18 blocks was Noemie Glover, another Sun Devil who reached a season-high on that front.

Glover, as usual, played a major role on the offense as well. She led the team with 23 total kills and had the highest hitting percentage: .476.

The Sun Devils lined up a block against the Utes opposite hitter, but the ball ricocheted off the hands of the block. The Utes, in a hurry to prolong the rally, scurried to send the ball over the net. But alas, the overpass ended up in Glover’s path, almost as if it had been a set from ASU.

Glover harnessed the opportunity and pounded the ball to Utah’s back row, causing their libero to eject the ball into the stands, as she toppled backwards and smacked the floor.

“I want to be great,” Glover said. “My goals are to become one of the most dynamic attackers in the NCAA, being one of the best defenders in the NCAA, being one of the best opposites in the country.”

While Glover’s goals are individual, she didn’t discredit her teammates, attributing components of the team’s success to their communication and serving ability.

Their first set ended with a score of 25-6, which is their largest margin this season, where the Sun Devils entered the court like sharks sensing blood in the water.

The highlight of the first set was their service competency, where they racked up five aces. Four of those being from Paige Lehman, who’s been primarily used as a serving specialist, and for good reason.

“Paige has been doing a great job for us this year,” Van Niel said. “She mixes depth really well. She’s pretty deceptive, and she was on-point in that first set for sure”

The polished talent ASU has is certainly an origin of their success, but what ties it together is their team harmony, energy and communication.

After Utah’s Loryn Helgesen delivered an attack that ascended ASU’s block, a kill was granted to the Utes after the ball was pounded into an area not covered by the Sun Devil’s back row. After the error, they huddled in the middle as usual, but the time spent there was clearly extended, seemingly so they could take a second to slow down and talk through the mishap.

“It’s just kind of about our cohesion and about how comfortable we can be with each other.” Glover said.

The Sun Devils will look to carry their momentum into a not-so-friendly matchup against the University of Arizona For the Sun Devils, recovery is the focus after a hectic weekend of two games in three days.

But, something else lingers at the forefront of their minds.

“We want to destroy them down south,” Glover said. “That’s even better than doing it over here.”