(Photo: Liesl Babicka/WCSN)
The Arizona State Sun Devils faced off against the Oregon Ducks on Sunday for the second time this season. After nearly beating the Ducks the first time they met, this game did not go as planned for the Sun Devils, as they lost in four sets 21-25, 18-25, 29-27, 20-25.
ASU held a 12-8 lead in the early going of the first set, highlighted by a service ace from freshman setter Nicole Peterson.
However, the Ducks used two separate four point runs to take a 20-17 lead.
The teams traded points from there, and Oregon came away with a 25-21 first set win.
Sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Vander Weide led the Ducks with five kills and a .500 hitting percentage. While freshman outside hitter Ivana Jeremic led the Sun Devils with three kills.
The second set started in a 3-3 tie before kills from Jeremic and sophomore middle blocker Jasmine Koonts helped the Sun Devils go on a three point run.
Oregon responded this time with three separate runs of three points, to take the lead 12-8 and force a timeout from Sun Devil head coach Stevie Mussie.
The Ducks had five runs of three or more points throughout the set, and they easily won the second set 25-18 to take a two sets to none lead.
Jeremic provided a bright spot for the Sun Devils with seven kills and four digs through the first two sets.
ASU started strong again in the third set, as a kill from sophomore outside hitter Lexi MacLean gave the Sun Devils a 13-11 lead.
Two errors by the Ducks led to a 3-0 run for ASU later in the set, and the Sun Devils took a 17-13 lead and forced a timeout from Oregon head coach Jim Moore.
The Ducks slowly started to come back and eventually tied the set at 23 apiece.
The teams traded points until junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro and Peterson tallied consecutive kills to win the set for the Sun Devils 29-27.
The fourth set started similarly to the previous three, with the two teams close in the early going. The largest lead for either team in the early parts of the fourth set was just two.
With the set tied at 15, Oregon went on a four point run. The Sun Devils, however, responded and came within one, down 20-19.
Oregon outscored ASU 5-1 in the remaining points and took the set 25-20, and the match three sets to one.
Vander Weide led the Ducks on the day with 19 kills. She also posted a .471 hitting percentage.
The Sun Devils, who are last in hitting percentage in the Pac-12, had a better day hitting the ball. Jeremic, who led the team with 14 kills, and two other Sun Devils finished the day with double digit kills. As a team, the Sun Devils hit .222.
With the loss, the Sun Devils fall to 9-15 on the year, and 2-10 in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils return home for their next game on November 4th against the No. 24 USC Trojans.
