PHOENIX – Arizona State upset No. 5 TCU on Friday, Feb. 20, 4-1, delivering the reigning national championship team its first loss of the season during day one of the Canyon Classic at GCU.

After sweeping UC Davis 5-0, No. 11 the Sun Devils avenged a 3-2 loss against the Horned Frogs in the 2025 Big 12 Championship. A 15-10 victory in the third set for the No. 5 pair of senior Kendall Whitmarsh and junior Olivia McElroy clinched ASU’s (2-0) first win over TCU (0-1) since 2018.

“I feel like the two words to describe it is inspiring and also validating,” Whitmarsh said. “In so many ways. Because with this team, our motto right now is just belief.”

The Sun Devils began the opening set strong with a 22-20 win. The Horned Frogs junior Oliva Clines and freshman Marcela Mattoso rallied back to claim set two with a score of 21-19 before falling in the third.

“It's just the first step to showing how much work we've put in,” McElroy said of the triumph.

McElroy was a part of the 28-26 loss during the final set of ASU’s loss to TCU in the Big 12 title battle. She said this victory proved to be “such a big moment” for her and the team.

“We were so close last year to winning the Big 12,” McElroy said, “and this is just the start of something huge, I feel like, for us this year.”

The task to repeat a record 22-win season in 2025 is daunting, but Whitmarsh is confident in the culture and energy within the Sun Devil program.

“This team is just so special, because we truly all believe that we can do anything and everything this year,” Whitmarsh said. “We're ready to stir the pot and have a bunch more upsets.”

While Whitmarsh and McElroy battled against the Horned Frogs, head coach Kristen Glattfelder watched as the top pairs dueled on the third court.

“They came out guns a blazing,” Glattfelder said of TCU’s No. 1 pair in the opening set. “They were serving super aggressive.”

Despite falling behind early, ASU’s No. 1 pair of seniors Samaya Morin and Ava Kirunchyk ultimately stunned the Horned Frogs, sweeping the sets 21-15 and 21-13. The duo matched TCU in service aggression, which proved pivotal to success.

“We served really aggressive,” Glattfelder said. “I think we had at least three or four aces a set.”

Glattfelder holds on to the belief that revenge against the Horned Frogs was always within reach, but the victory mustn’t be taken for granted.

“It's always nice to get a little revenge, but we're going to see him a lot this season,” Glattfelder said. “So I'm sure they're going to be eager to get their revenge.”

Though TCU and the Sun Devils are not currently scheduled to meet again, the third-year coach expects tight competition in the future and enjoys this budding conference rivalry.

After defeating the Horned Frogs, Whitmarsh and McElroy migrated to another court, watching teammates senior Arden Besecker and sophomore Zoe Taylor win at the final set of third pair play 15-10. 

“It's actually really cool,” Whitmarsh said. “Liv (McElroy) and Zoe (Taylor) are roommates, and then Arden (Besecker) and I are roommates, so just being able to cheer on each other is really special.”