Dec. 1, 2000
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Junior outside hitter Jami Coughlin recorded a team-high 19 kills to lead the Arizona State Sun Devil volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Duke in first round action of the 2000 NCAA Volleyball tournament at the Sports Pavilion on the University of Minnesota campus.
With the 15-3, 12-15, 16-14, 15-12 victory the Sun Devils improved their overall season record to 18-11. In their 13th NCAA Tournament appearance, the Sun Devils are now 6-12 overall in NCAA postseason action. The Sun Devils will play Minnesota Saturday night at 7 p.m. CST in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Gophers (29-3) defeated Robert Morris 3-0 (15-1, 15-6, 15-2).
Coughlin (Glendale) led the Sun Devils with 19 kills in the match and became only the 12th ASU volleyball player in history to surpass the 1,000-kill mark for a career. The junior now has 1,001 after her performance against Duke. Coughlin also contributed a career high 26 digs.
"It was an ugly win, but we pulled together and pulled it out and walked away with the most important thing, a win," said Coughlin after the match.
Senior outside hitter Amanda Burbridge (Scottsdale, Ariz.) started slowly with only three kills in the first two games, but toughened up down the stretch. The All-American candidate ended with 17 kills, extending her streak of double-digit kills to 29 matches. Burbridge also contributed her 22nd double-double of the year.
"I thought Jami and Amanda really played well tonight and got tough when we really needed them to," said head coach Patti Snyder-Park. "Jami just had an excellent match and did it all. She was great defensively and really hit the ball well and in the right spots. I am proud of the way this team pulled through. It wasn't easy and I really have to credit Duke and their players for a great match."
ASU's four freshman also played well in their first postseason appearance. Setter Cheryl Anglin (Queen Creek, Ariz.) led all players with 63 assists, adding to her already freshman record for assists by a freshman in school history. Anglin now has 1,413 in her freshman campaign, tying for third place with Regina Stahl (1986) in the ASU record books. Opposite hitter Natalie Harris (Tempe, Ariz.) made only her third start of the year and contributed a career-high 12 kills and 14 digs. Courtney Blocher (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had 15 digs and a service ace and Kim Mehlhorn (Tempe, Ariz.) provided a spark off the bench as a defensive specialist in the fourth and fifth games.
"I am very proud of our freshman. They came into a pressure-packed situation being in the NCAA Tournament and really played well," said Snyder-Park. "Cheryl (Anglin) was very smart out there and did an outstanding job of running the offense. I am also very pleased with Natalie Harris' match. She played excellent."
Senior middle blocker Michelle Mortensen (Chandler, Ariz.) tallied 10 kills and sophomore Julia Leddy (Mesa, Ariz.) was ASU's fifth player with more than 10 kills, checking in with 11.
The Sun Devils came out of the gates hot, winning game one in convincing fashion 15-3. After quickly falling behind 2-0 and trailing 3-2, ASU went on a 13-0 run to put the Blue Devils down 1-0. Coughlin had seven kills to lead the Sun Devils. ASU out-hit Duke .464 (16-3-28) to .133.
Game two saw the Blue Devils storm out to an 8-2 lead. Arizona State battled back point-by-point, eventually knotting the game at 11-11. Duke tied the match at one game apiece by gaining a 15-13 win. The Sun Devils, who carried the hot hand by hitting .464 in game one, hit only .106 in the second game.
Arizona State came out sluggish in game three, but still managed to pull out a 16-14 win. After leading by as much as 7-2, the Blue Devils staged a comeback and mounted a 14-13 lead to serve for the game win. The Sun Devils bounced back to take the next three points and gain the 16-14 win. After recording only three kills in the first two games, Burbridge tallied 12 in the third frame.
Duke held tough in the fourth game, but the Sun Devils inched out a 15-12 win to gain their first NCAA Tournament win since Dec. 3, 1995 when ASU defeated Santa Barbara 3-2.
The Blue Devils ended their season with a 21-13 record after advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in school history. Outside hitter Ashley Harris led all players with 21 kills. Krista Dill (14 kills) and Dorrette Burwell (13) were the only other Blue Devils to post double-digits in kills.