Nov. 18, 2011
LOS ANGELES - Sun Devil volleyball suffered a 3-1 loss to top-ranked USC on Friday night with set scores of 25-17, 19-25, 25-20, 25-12.
Arizona State falls to 8-20 overall and 4-15 in the Pac-12 while No. 1 USC improves to 23-4, 18-2 after the showdown at the Galen Center.
Ashley Kastl's double-double (10 kills, 10 digs) was one of four ASU performances with 10+ kills as Sonja Markanovich led the offense with 13 and Nora Tuioti-Mariner and Erica Wilson also recorded 10 kills.
The Sun Devils dropped into a 12-6 hole in set one, with the Trojans holding a strong lead through the 22-13 mark. ASU recorded 13 kills to USC's 16, with Markanovich tallying four, but it was not enough as the Devils lost the frame 25-17.
Rebounding quickly in the second set, Arizona State put up more kills (19), aces (2) and blocks (2) than the top ranked school in the country. Tuioti-Mariner led the offense with six kills, as teammate Markanovich was close behind with five.
The frame opened tit-for-tat with the final tie at 8-8 before ASU gained momentum and led by as much as five before taking the set on a six-point edge at 25-19. Shannan McCready had a set-high 19 assists, a best for both clubs, aiding the .400 attack percentage for the maroon and gold.
In set three the Trojans gradually took control for a 25-20 win after nine ties and six lead changes before edging ahead late after the 19-all mark on a 6-1 point run.
USC put away the 3-1 win after securing the fourth frame 25-12. ASU recorded only nine kills to a hot hitting Trojan squad who hit at a .476 clip.
On the night Markanovich hit .867 and McCready posted 48 assists.
The Sun Devils stay on the road as they travel to No. 2 UCLA for a 2 p.m. (MT) match Sunday.