Sand Devils Fall In Close Battles

TUCSON, Ariz. – Sun Devil Beach Volleyball had another 3-2 battle with No. 17 Arizona, this time coming up short at Bear Down Beach on Sunday afternoon to end the Pac-12 South Invitational. Arizona State also dropped the dual to No. 8 Stanford earlier in the day.

Arizona State (10-12, 2-5 Pac-12) split the season series with Arizona after ASU won in Tempe earlier this month. Each team will get a half point in the Territorial Cup Series.

The team has faced six-straight opponents that are ranked in the top 15. The duo with the best record this weekend was the new pair of sophomore Kate Fitzgerald and freshman Kylie Wickley. The two had two wins together, more than any other pair. They beat No. 3 USC and No. 17 Arizona's No. 4 pairs. Fitzgerald leads the team in total wins with 12. 

Game One: No. 8 Stanford 5, Arizona State 0
The Sand Devils played some close sets, but ultimately the Cardinal (11-5, 5-3 Pac-12) was able to win the dual. There were two overtime sets played. Freshman Rylie Kael and junior Sarah Waters on court three went to 23-21 in their first set. On court four, sophomores Taryn Ames and Kate Fitzgerald came close to pushing a third set, coming up short in their second set 26-24.

Results (Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3*, 5, 4)
1) Hodel/Reilly (STAN) def. Cierra Flood/Lexi Sweeney (ASU) 21-13, 21-16
2) Ekstrom/Kriz (STAN) def. Lila Bordis/Anya Pemberton (ASU) 21-14, 21-18
3) Harvey/Sharp (STAN) def. Rylie Kael/Sarah Waters (ASU) 23-21, 21-19
4) Morris/Wilson (STAN) def. Taryn Ames/Kate Fitzgerald (ASU) 21-14, 26-24
5) Dailey/McKinney (STAN) def. Maddy Salazar/Kylie Wickley (ASU) 21-19, 21-17

Game Two: No. 17 Arizona 3, Arizona State 2
Like the first meeting between these teams, it was a close battle, coming down to the final court. Unlike the last meeting, the Wildcats (11-6, 3-2 Pac-12) clinched it to split the Territorial Cup in the series. For the Sand Devils, the points came on courts four and five. Getting ASU on the board was the No. 5 pair of Ames and senior Maddy Salazar, winning in straight sets. Freshman Kylie Wickley and Fitzgerald won their match in three sets at the four spot to tie the dual at 2-2. It came down to the No. 1 pairs Lexi Sweeney and Cierra Flood, who won their first set but dropped the second. Despite a battle, the two came up short in the third, 15-12.

Results (Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 4, 1*)
1) Parkhurst/Rennie (UA) def. Cierra Flood/Lexi Sweeney (ASU) 18-21, 21-17, 15-12
2) Blacker/Kaiser (UA) def. Lila Bordis/Anya Pemberton (ASU) 23-21, 26-24
3) Safar/Gedikoglu (UA) def. Rylie Kael/Sarah Waters (ASU) 24-22, 21-13
4) Kate Fitzgerald/Kylie Wickley (ASU) def. Parker/Russell (UA) 21-14, 13-21, 15-11
5) Taryn Ames/Maddy Salazar (ASU) def. Shannon/Kost (UA) 21-11, 26-24

Up Next
The Sand Devils will have a bye week before the Pac-12 North Invitational on April 9-10.