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Next up in 2019-20 Sun Devil Classics, we look back at the five-set thriller between rivals ASU and UA in volleyball. The Sun Devils looked to finish the regular season on a high note and capture crucial points in the Territorial Cup battle.
Highlights:
The Rundown:
This matchup went down to the wire and took five sets.
The first four were split, as both teams won every other set, setting up a pivotal ending if ASU was to make history and come out with a season sweep.
The final set also held significance for the Sun Devils, as they were fighting to try and make the NCAA Tournament.
In a back and forth bout that featured nine ties and five lead changes, the two teams sat at 15 points and were looking to get the two-point advantage to cap off the regular season with a win.
After Arizona appeared to have won the match on a miss hit by the Sun Devils, head coach Sanja Tomasevic used a challenge to rule that an Arizona player tipped the ball at the net.
The call was reversed in favor of ASU and the team had new life. The Wildcats struggled to regroup and that forced two straight errors.
That led to Tomasevic’s squad stealing a victory in Tucson for the first time since 2007, and sweeping the rivals from down south.
Seniors Jada Burse, Ivana Jeremic, Nicole Peterson and Callie Jones were able to cap off their careers with a season sweep over their in-state foes and post the team’s first winning record since 2015.
Despite the triumphant conclusion to the regular season, their 17-14 record wasn’t enough to squeak into the NCAA Tournament, as ASU fell just short of appearing for the first time in four years.
Other Classics: