The atmosphere inside McKale Center was electric Friday night as Arizona hosted Arizona State University in their annual volleyball rivalry match. In front of an energized home crowd, the Wildcats showed determination and heart, but the Sun Devils ultimately prevailed with a 3–1 victory (25–18, 25–21, 22–25, 25–19).
The opening set set the tone for a competitive evening. ASU came out strong with fast-paced serves and aggressive attacks that challenged Arizona’s defense. The Sun Devils’ front-row blocking proved effective as they took the first set 25–18.
In the second set, Arizona began to find its rhythm. The Wildcats fought point-for-point, showing improved communication and precision. Renee Jones and Journey Tucker led the charge with key kills that kept Arizona within striking distance. Despite the Wildcats’ efforts, ASU’s balanced offense helped them edge out another win, 25–21.
The Wildcats refused to back down. With the crowd rallying behind them, Arizona stormed into the third set with renewed energy. Strong serving runs, strategic plays, and better coverage on defense helped the Wildcats gain momentum. Tucker’s explosive kills and Jones’s consistency at the net lifted Arizona to a 25–22 victory, giving the home crowd reason to believe in a comeback.
However, ASU’s experience and composure showed in the fourth set. The Sun Devils tightened up defensively and executed key points late in the game to close out the set 25–19 — and the match 3–1 overall.
After the game, Arizona Head Coach Charita Stubbs praised her team’s resilience and the crowd’s support.
“We battled with a lot of heart tonight,” Stubbs said. “These rivalry games are always emotional, and I’m proud of the way our team fought. We’ll take what we learned tonight and keep improving.”
Outside hitter Journey Tucker echoed her coach’s optimism.
“We gave everything we had,” Tucker said. “ASU is a tough team, but we showed that we can compete at a high level. Now we just have to stay consistent.”
With the loss, Arizona falls to 8–15 overall (3–9 Pac-12), while ASU improves to 18–7 (8–4 Pac-12). The Wildcats will look to rebound next weekend as they travel to face UCLA, while the Sun Devils return home to host Colorado in their next conference matchup.
Though the result didn’t go Arizona’s way, the Wildcats displayed moments of promise — a sign that their growth under Stubbs is continuing.
For ASU, the win adds another chapter to their strong season and reinforces their edge in one of college volleyball’s fiercest rivalries.
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