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ASU Volleyball: Sun Devil offense struggles against UCLA

By Nicholas Zeller-Singh

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky the Sun Devil performs during the team's quarterfinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Oregon Ducks T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Oregon won 80-57. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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No. 25 ASU volleyball failed to execute their offense against No. 20 UCLA as they were swept in Los Angeles (25-13, 25-20, 25-14).

ASU finished the night with a season low .054 hitting percentage as UCLA topped ASU in all three sets.

One problem with ASU this year has been their inconsistency with controlling the momentum and tempo as well as running their offense smoothly. ASU also began to use the middle of the court after teams would target their outside hitters so they couldn’t get kills.

The Sun Devils struggled right off the bat as the offense could not get the tide rolling and allowed the Bruins to take a 20-8 lead in the first set. The attack errors built up early and did not end as the Sun Devils finished set one with a -.103 hitting percentage.

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The Bruins’ game plan worked as Alyse Ford and Ivana Jeremic both finished the night with a .000 hitting percentage and a combined eight kills. Claire Kovensky and Danica Krstonocic also finished the match in the minuses with two kills between the pair.

The Bruins and Sun Devils both had eight blocks in the match but ASU could not finish and were beaten in their own game. ASU came into this match as the top dog in digs for Pac-12, but they couldn’t land any balls on the court nor return the kills from the Bruins as they finished with a season-low 33 digs compared to the Bruins’ 46.

The middle blockers helped keep ASU in this game as Carmen Unzue tied for the team high in kills with five, recorded the highest hitting percentage a .286, and the second-most blocks at three. Megan Beedie also had five kills, a .250 hitting percentage, and led the team in blocks with four.

The Sun Devils also had some lackluster help in the middle as ASU only had 20 assists compared to the Bruins’ 40. It was a rough night for the setters as Callie Jones was the only Sun Devil with double digit assists (11) but had no more offense as she ended the night with no kills and only three digs.

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ASU (13-6, 4-3 Pac-12) will look to bounce back as they stay in California to take on the 15th-ranked USC Trojans on Friday.