The Sun Devils upset the defending national champions and No. 2 in four sets before falling to No. 9 Pittsburgh in three sets.

On Sunday, ASU fell short in the first set against the Nittany Lions (21-25) despite playing a potent offense in the front row, tipping right behind the blockers and making it challenging for Penn State to get to the ball. 

After a slow start in the first set, the Sun Devils shocked the world, winning the final three sets 25-23, 25-20 and 31-29. 

Standout junior right-side hitter Noemie Glover finished the statement match with 22 kills and a total of 10 blocks. Since transferring from Oregon in 2025, Glover has become a staple on both sides of the ball. 

Head coach JJ Van Niel expressed his pride in his team’s defining victory. 

“We are grittier than I appreciated,” Van Niel said. 

Nittany Lions’ junior opposite hitter Kennedy Martin had ASU scrambling to keep the ball alive. In total, Martin had 23 kills over the match. 

Thanks to sophomore libero Faith Frame, the Sun Devils kept the ball alive and won the match against the reigning national champions. This statement victory moved ASU up six spots in the rankings, placing them at No. 7 before the match against Pitt.

On Monday, the Sun Devils suffered a tough loss against the Panthers, losing in three sets: 21-25, 18-25 and 16-25. 

ASU entered the match with momentum, including securing an early five-point lead, but soon struggled with the powerful serves and the blocks from Pitt. 

Panthers’ redshirt senior setter Brooke Mosher delivered a tough serve that the Sun Devils struggled to receive. Mosher managed to rack up four aces on ASU, giving the Panthers a decisive lead. 

The Sun Devils’ offense faltered against the strong defense Pitt brought to the court. Panthers’ junior outside hitter Blaire Bayless had five total blocks and nine kills against ASU. Both junior opposite hitter Olivia Babcock and Mosher played up on the net, performing at a high defensive level. 

Glover once again was such a key component to the Sun Devils this match, finishing with 16 kills and scoring the most points for the team. Senior outside hitter Bailey Miller had five kills and three blocks, which helped ASU as well. 

The Sun Devils return to Desert Financial Area on Sept. 5 to take on Florida Gulf Coast in a highly anticipated home opener.