“I talked about wanting to build something where we got fans in there, and it was really, really special how many people came out and supported us,” Sun Devils head coach JJ Van Niel said.

The loud environment carried into the match in favor of the Sun Devils from the start, leading to a four-set win, 3–1.

ASU opened strong, holding the Wildcats under 15 points in the first set.

The Sun Devils dominated early as Arizona finished set one with a -.091 hitting percentage.

Strong defense in both the front and back rows put ASU in control right away. Arizona struggled to keep its attacks inside the court lines and couldn’t get a block up against the Sun Devils’ powerful offense.

“I love when blockers don’t know what’s coming next,” senior setter Sydney Henry said. “I love that I have all of these options to make it that way.”

The Wildcats couldn’t recover from graduate middle blocker Colby Neal’s presence at the net. She finished the night with 10 kills and nine blocks.

“I want to take up as much of the court as possible,” Neal said. “I think that is something that helps us be successful.”

Senior outside hitter Jordan Wilson led the Wildcats with 17 kills, helping Arizona claim the second set.

Although sophomore middle blocker Adrianna Bridges recorded five blocks, the Sun Devils held her to a -.059 hitting percentage for the match.

The Wildcats grew frustrated as several mistakes piled up, giving the Sun Devils “free” points.

Multiple out-of-system plays throughout the night also helped ASU maintain momentum.

Junior opposite hitter Noemie Glover shifted the pace for ASU, leading the Sun Devils out of a four-point deficit in the fourth set. An out-of-system play from Glover to Miller allowed Miller to swing big and tie the set at 22–22.

Junior middle blocker Ella Lomigora then surprised the Wildcats with a sneaky second-ball tip over the net.

“When you can score out-of-system, it puts a lot of pressure on your opponents,” Van Niel said. “Typically, if you are out-of-system, you are not scoring.”

Scrappy defense from Arizona kept the fourth set close. Even with strong blocks from Neal and Glover, the Wildcats were able to pick up on ASU’s tips late in the match but couldn’t convert them into points.

Glover finished with 13 kills, securing set wins for the Sun Devils with swings in both the first and third sets.

ASU totaled 27 blocks on the night, consistently disrupting Arizona’s offense.

“We are a physical team,” Van Niel said. “It’s the most physical team I have had since I’ve been here, maybe ever.”