HOW IT HAPPENED
The Black and Gold started the first set, showing they came to play. It was a back-and-forth battle between the Knights and the Sun Devils, notching one kill after another on both sides of the net. Midway through the set, the Knights went on a streak after the visitors were handed a 5-0 scoring run by UCF, heavily aided by a pair of aces from the nation’s serving leader, Skylar English.
The Sun Devils then stormed back with a five-kill streak of their own, eventually coming back to a tie score. The set ended with more back-and-forth play, with ASU eventually pulling away despite a successful UCF challenge, which had given them a 25-19 advantage.
Through the early stages of the second, it was more of the same back-and-forth action between the two squads. Some impressive early blocks by Avah Armour led to the Knights keeping the Sun Devils in check throughout the set. Costly errors on both sides of the net only furthered the kill-by-kill action, which would continue to be seen throughout the tense match.
To only further the intensity, another successful UCF challenge came about in the set, leading to the Knights tying the Sun Devils once again. Arizona State soon responded with a successful challenge of their own, causing them to take the lead and eventually the set, 25-18
Arizona State controlled the third set from the jump, gaining a 10-point cushion that propelled the visitors to the sweep, 25-13. The UCF attack had momentum throughout the tense matchup, as seen by another 10+ kill game from Avah Armour and a multi-ace performance from Skylar English. ASU’s Bailey Miller led the traveling Sun Devils, tallying 12 kills to highlight three players reaching double digits.
UP NEXT
The Knights will embark on their last road trip of the regular season next week to the state of Kansas to take on Kansas State on Wednesday, the 26th, followed by No. 13 Kansas on Saturday, the 29th.
