ASU's Olympic sports produced a successful week, headlined by soccer's upset of the reigning national champions and gymnastics ending its season at the regional finals.
Soccer
ASU soccer dropped its first Pac-12 game of the season in a double-overtime loss to Cal Friday in Tempe, but bounced back in a Sunday win against Stanford.
The Sun Devils struck first in the 34th minute when freshman midfielder Jazmine Wilkinson headed in a cross for her first goal of the season.
The Golden Bears eventually tied the score in the 67th minute and broke the tie in the second overtime period, when freshman forward Amaya Gray scored to win the game. After its loss Friday, ASU rebounded with a win over the defending national champions, defeating Stanford 2-0 Sunday.
Both of ASU's goals came in the first half, with Wilkinson scoring just over four minutes into the game and junior midfielder Eva van Deursen scoring less than 20 minutes later.
ASU will travel to face Utah on April 9 at 6 p.m. MST.
Gymnastics
ASU gymnastics advanced to the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament by finishing in second place in the second round Friday. The team then tied for third Saturday in the Salt Lake City Regional Finals to end its season.
The Sun Devils scored a 196.600 in the second round to finish ahead of Boise State and Southern Utah but behind University of Utah.
ASU scored a 49.325 on bars in its first rotation, led by senior Cairo Leonard-Baker's 9.950.
The Sun Devils then scored a 48.700 on beam, the lowest score out of their four rotations.
On floor, sophomore Hannah Scharf's team-leading 9.925 helped ASU score a 49.275 in the rotation. The Sun Devils finished the meet by scoring a 49.250 on vault, led by Scharf again, who scored 9.900.
ASU scored a 197.600 in the Salt Lake City Regional Finals, but failed to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.
The Sun Devils began the meet by scoring a 49.450 on beam. Scharf, junior Jasmine Gutierrez and sophomore Gracie Reeves each scored a 9.900 in the event.
ASU moved to floor for the second rotation, where the team scored a 49.325.
Freshman Anaya Smith scored a 9.900 on vault to help ASU record a 49.300 in the rotation.
The Sun Devils finished the meet with their best score of the day: 49.525 on bars. Leonard-Baker led the team with a 9.950 in the event.
The team's overall score was not enough to finish in the top two to advance, finishing behind Utah and Louisiana State.
Track and field
ASU track and field took home 12 first-place finishes Saturday at the Grand Canyon University Invitational in Phoenix.
Redshirt junior Turner Washington took home a first-place finish in the men's discus throw by recording a distance of 62.11 meters.
Graduate student Jorinde van Klinken won both the women's shot put and discus throw. She won the shot put by throwing for 17.64 meters and the discus throw with a distance of 58.80 meters.
Redshirt junior Cole Riddle captured first place in the men's pole vault by clearing the 5.35-meter height.
Sophomore Christina Warren won the women's triple jump, recording a leap of 12.70 meters.
Senior Josephine Anokye took home first place in the women's 400 meters with a time of 53.55 seconds.
Freshman Jamar Marshall Jr. captured first place in the men's 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.95 seconds.
ASU will compete next at the Jim Click Shootout on April 8-9 in Tucson.
Volleyball
ASU volleyball upset No. 16 Oregon in five sets (15-25, 25-21, 21-25, 26-24, 15-10) Thursday in Tempe.
Oregon produced two 5-0 runs in a dominant first set, which the team won 25-15. ASU never led in the first set.
Despite trailing by as much as 11-3 in the second set, the Sun Devils climbed back to tie the score at 18-18. After both teams scored three points each to remain tied at 21 points apiece, ASU finished the set with a 4-0 run to win the set 25-21.
In the third set, both teams traded multiple runs to reach a 20-20 tie. However, Oregon broke off a 4-0 run to reach set point and eventually won the set 25-21.
Oregon produced three 3-0 runs and a 4-0 run to help build and maintain a lead in the fourth set up to match point. However, ASU produced a 4-0 run of its own to win the set 26-24, forcing a fifth and final set.
The Sun Devils went on two 3-0 runs in the fifth set to help win 15-10, completing the upset.
After winning the first game of the series, ASU suffered a sweep to the hands of Oregon (25-20, 25-15, 25-17) Saturday to end its season.
Oregon produced three 3-0 runs, helping the team win the first set at 25-20. ASU never produced a run greater than 2-0.
The Ducks dominated the second set, producing three 3-0 runs to help the team win 25-15. The Sun Devils never led in the set.
Oregon took control of the third set from the beginning with a 6-0 run. The Ducks later produced three 3-0 runs which lead to the team winning the set at 25-17 and finishing up the sweep.
ASU finishes the 2021 season 6-14, the program's worst season by winning percentage since 2011.
Reach the reporters at dmwilhe1@asu.edu and jhorst2@asu.edu, and follow @dmwilhelm225 and @HorseySeven on Twitter.
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Jeffrey Horst is the digital editor-in-chief of The State Press. He previously served as the publication's sports editor and worked at Cronkite News and ArizonaSports.com.
