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Arizona State Takes A 3-1 Volleyball Win Over WSU
November 20, 1998
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State claimed a 3-1 win over the Washington State
volleyball team, 6-15, 15-12, 15-12, 15-11, at ASU's Wells Fargo Arena
Friday night, nearly destroying WSU's chances for a eighth consecutive year
of post-season play. With the Cougs needing to win three of their final
four matches to finish the season above .500 and be in contention for an
NCAA at-large bid, the loss to ASU had huge implications.
WSU drops to 11-12 overall, 8-9 and tied with ASU in fifth-place in the
Pac-10. Arizona State moves to 11-13 overall.
Cougar junior Joy Sperry had 17 of her career-high 23 kills after the third
game. Sperry hit .463 and tallied 12 digs. Senior Wendy Rouse tallied 19
kills and had four blocks.
Arizona State's Amanda Burbridge also had 23 kills and the match-high 15
digs, shared with teammates Jolynn Faatulu and Jami Coughlin. Faatulu had
69 assists and Coughlin added 19 kills. Shawna Vanley tagged 10 blocks.
Washington State jumped to a 9-1 lead in the first game but turned around
and gave up five points to the Sun Devils. The Cougars countered with a
strong finish, shutting down ASU with Joy Sperry's cross court kill, and
claiming the final three points with back-to-back service aces from Colleen
Smith and another Sperry kill, winning game one 15-6.
The second game was closely contested with ASU taking the first substantial
lead, 8-4, only to see the Cougs come back to knot it up at 10 after
consecutive Sun Devil hitting errors. A tip by Jolynn Faatulu and ace by
Ashley Hubbard gave ASU back the lead, 12-10. Rouse's kill brought WSU
their 11th point but the home-team took over, giving up only one additional
point on an error before claiming the second game 15-12.
Game three started with miscommunication and multiple errors by the Cougars
as Arizona State cruised to a 9-3 lead. Behind the kills of Smith, Rouse
and Blackshire, WSU cut the lead to two, 9-7. ASU's Jami Coughlin and
Sperry kept the game tight until Spink was called in the net and the Sun
Devils went up 13-10. WSU fought back, scoring again on Burbridge's
hitting error but ASU countered with a point from Jamie Peck to give them a
14-11 edge. The Devils needed four attempts at the game point, stopped
once by Rouse's ace and a kill by Smith before claiming the third game, 15-12.
WSU jumped out to a 10-4 lead in the fourth game only to see it disappear
as the Sun Devils out-scored the Cougs seven to one and tied it up at 11.
Three aces by Burbridge gave ASU the game, 15-11 and the match, 3-1.
While the hitting was close, ASU .301 to WSU's .269, the Sun Devils
out-blocked the Cougs 10-5.
Washington State wraps up the Pac-10 conference season Sunday in Tucson,
meeting Arizona Nov. 22. The Cougs then travel across the country for the
SEC-Pac-10 Conference Challenge Tournament featuring Washington, WSU,
Florida and South Carolina Nov. 27-28 at Disney World.
Arizona State (11-13, 8-9) d. Washington State (11-12, 8-9) 6-15, 15-12,
15-12, 15-11
Kills - Sperry (WSU) 23, Rouse (WSU) 19, Burbridge (ASU) 23. Assists -
Spink (WSU) 55, Faatulu (ASU) 69. Aces - Rouse (WSU) 2, Burbridge (ASU) 3,
Hubbard (ASU) 3. Digs - Sperry (WSU) 12, Blackshire (WSU) 12, Burbridge
(ASU) 15, Faatulu (ASU) 15, Coughlin (ASU) 15. Blocks - Rouse (WSU) 4,
Vanley (ASU) 10. Attendance: 718.
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