Arizona State recorded a season-high 18 blocks on Sunday afternoon to secure a 3-1 victory over Utah at Desert Financial Arena, according to thesundevils.com.
The No. 9 Sun Devils improved to 20-4 overall and 11-2 in Big 12 play with the win. This result marks the ninth victory for Arizona State in this series against the Utes.
Under head coach JJ Van Niel, the program has now reached the 20-win milestone for the fourth season. This performance also represents the sixth time the team has achieved at least 20 wins during this century.
Defensive dominance at the net
The Sun Devils’ defense limited Utah to a .024 hitting percentage. This marks the fourth match where Arizona State held an opponent to a hitting percentage below .100.
The 18 blocks recorded during the match tie for ninth in the ASU record book for team blocks in the rally-scoring era. It was the highest block total for the team in a single match since 2015 and ranks fifth in the Big 12 this season.
Senior middle blocker Ella Lomigora led the defensive effort with 10 blocks. This total ties her career high and serves as a new season high for the player.
Lomigora’s 10 block assists also tied for the third-most individual block assists in a single match during the rally-scoring era at ASU. Her performance ties for fourth in total blocks for the era and is tied for fifth in the Big 12 this season.
| Player | Statistic | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Ella Lomigora | 10 Blocks | Career high; Season high |
| Noemie Glover | 23 Kills | Match high; .476 hitting percentage |
| Una Vajagić | 12 Kills | Fourth double-digit kill match |
| Isabella Costantini | 39 Assists | Seventh time this season with 30+ assists |
| Paige Lehman | 4 Aces | Career high |
Noemie Glover Leads Scoring with 23 Kills
Senior opposite Noemie Glover led all players in the match with 23 kills on a .476 hitting clip. This was Glover’s 20th match this season with double-digit kills and her ninth career match with 20 or more kills.
Junior outside hitter Una Vajagić contributed 12 kills, eight digs, and three blocks. Freshman libero Paige Lehman earned a career-high four aces, all occurring during the opening set.
The first set concluded with a 25-6 score, representing the largest margin of victory for Arizona State this season. This matched a 25-6 score achieved against Texas Tech on November 5 of last season.
The Sun Devils opened the first set with a 5-0 run driven by serves from Isabella Costantini. They later executed a nine-point run to lead 20-3, eventually sealing the set with back-to-back blocks.
“We were able to hold a really good offensive team to .024 hitting percentage with 18 blocks, so I’m proud of the team and excited with how we played,” said head coach JJ Van Niel.
Utah responded in the third set, which featured eight ties and three lead changes. Despite the Sun Devils fighting off three set points to tie the frame at 24-24, Utah won the set 26-24 following ASU errors.
Arizona State regained control in the fourth set behind kills from Zoey Burgess and Noemie Glover. Burgess also contributed seven kills on a .455 clip and tied her career high with seven blocks.
Preparation for the rivalry
The Sun Devils enter a week with only one scheduled match. They are set to travel to Tucson for a rivalry game against Arizona on Sunday, November 15.
Noemie Glover discussed the internal drive required to maintain performance throughout the season. She stated that her primary goals involve being one of the most dynamic attackers and defenders in the NCAA.
