TEMPE, Ariz. – The University of San Diego showed it could hang with another nationally ranked opponent Saturday, but the Toreros could not maintain the level long enough to knock off No. 7 Arizona State.
USD fell to the Sun Devils in four sets, 25-15, 23-25, 25-11, 25-14, at Desert Financial Arena, dropping the Toreros to 3-4 in the season. Arizona State improved to 7-2.
Despite the final score, USD had stretches where it went point-for-point with one of the country's top teams, particularly in the second set.
After Arizona State controlled the opening frame, the Toreros responded by grinding out a 25-23 win in the second. The set featured five ties and three lead changes, with USD finding ways to extend rallies and keep the Sun Devils from establishing the same offensive rhythm they had in the opening set.
Both teams’ liberos played a major role in keeping those rallies alive. USD’s Lauren Lynch seemed to be all over the floor defensively, finishing with a match-high 17 digs. Arizona State’s Faith Frame answered with 15 digs of her own as both back rows repeatedly kept points alive that appeared to be over.
Arizona hit -.094 in the second set, committing eight attacking errors on 32 attempts. USD wasn’t particularly efficient either, finishing the frame to -.047, but the Toreros found enough points to even the match at one set apiece.
However, that momentum didn’t carry into the third.
The Sun Devils quickly regained control, holding USD to just two kills in the frame and a -.138 hitting percentage. Arizona State, meanwhile, hit .351 with 16 kills to cruise to a 25-11 win and retake control of the match.
Arizona State’s size and presence at the net also became increasingly difficult for USD to work around. The Sun Devils finished with four solo blocks and 14 block assists, compared with one solo block and 10 block assists for the Toreros. Antonia Serafinaowska was involved in six blocks for ASU, while Zoey Burgess was involved in five. USD’s Ryann Knuth recorded the Toreros’ lone solo block.
The difference was also evident from the service line and in serve receive.
Arizona State recorded 13 service aces, while USD finished with 13 reception errors. The Toreros had some success of their own from the service line with six aces, including two apiece from Reese Bates and Lynch, but the pressure created by the Sun Devils’ serving repeatedly made it difficult for USD to settle into its offense.
And once Noemie Glover got going, the Toreros struggled to find an answer.
ASU’s Glover led all players with 18 kills while hitting .350 on 40 swings, committing only four attacking errors. Una Vajagic added 13 kills for Arizona State as the pair helped the Sun Devils pull away over the final two sets.
Nemo Beach paced USD with a team-high 11 kills, while Emma Brewer added eight kills and Kierstyn Barton and Knuth each finished with five. Kylie Munday directed the Torero offense with 24 assists.
USD’s offense never found consistent footing, finishing the match with 31 kills and 31 attacking errors on 135 attempts for a .000 hitting percentage. Arizona State finished at .217 with 48 kills.
Still, the second set offered another glimpse of what the Toreros are capable of against elite competition. USD didn’t simply stay close with a nationally ranked opponent. Instead, it took a set from the Sun Devils on their home court and forced Arizona State into long difficult rallies at times. But against a team of Arizona State’s caliber, stretches of inconsistent serve receive and offensive errors left little room for recovery.
The challenge doesn’t get any easier for the Toreros. USD continues its difficult nonconference schedule against another nationally ranked opponent, No. 25 Oregon Sunday at 2 p.m. to close out the Snyder-Park Classic.
USD opened the classic with a five-set win over UC Davis on Friday. The Aggies took down the Sun Devils in four sets on Thursday.
Top photo credit: Thomas Fernandez/Sun Devil Athletics
