In a match that pushed both teams to the absolute limit, Arizona State prevailed in a five-set victory over their Arizona rivals Saturday afternoon.
It was the program's first victory in Tucson since 2007and a sweep for the Sun Devils.
Junior Andrea Mitrovic lead the way with 19 kills, seven digs, and two blocks, spearheading a strong Sun Devil attack. She was joined by senior Jada Burse and junior Claire Kovensky who provided important contributions of their own with 16 and 10 kills, respectively.
Senior Courtney Leffel racked up a game-high 22 digs. Senior Ivana Jeremic was equally important with eight kills, 13 digs, and two aces. Senior Callie Jones provided crucial support with 12 digs.
ASU won the first set rather convincingly by a score of 25-18. The Sun Devils controlled the pace of play, never trailing once the entire set.
The third set was similar until the end. While ASU lead for the entire third set, Arizona was right on their heels the entire time. Any distance gained by the Sun Devils was quickly matched by the Wildcats. A back-and-forth struggle between both teams ended with a narrow 26-24 victory for ASU.
However, in the second set, the Wildcats had clamped down and dominated ASU on all fronts. With the momentum from the first set seemingly nonexistent, the Sun Devils were left gasping for breath as they fell 25-11.
The fourth set was similar to the second with ASU finding themselves in a 21-11 hole. The Sun Devils did their best to climb out, but were ultimately buried too deep as they lost the set 25-20.
The fifth set was full of intense play and heightened stakes leaving both teams at a 15-15 tie. ASU won the next two rallies to defeat their rival by the skin of their teeth.
Following the win, ASU moves to 17-14. The team now awaits its postseason fate, which will be decided in Sunday's NCAA selection show.
Reach the reporter at cvanligt@asu.edu and follow @Connor_VL on Twitter.
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