TEMPE, Ariz. – On a night where the Arizona State volleyball team’s ring fingers got heavier, the party for the reigning Big 12 champs did not last long. 

So, instead of a celebratory speech to match the festivities, ASU head coach JJ Van Niel kept his postgame comments short and sweet.

“They played great, we played s-----," Van Niel said. "That's my thoughts." 

UC Davis (3-3) spoiled the No. 7 Sun Devils’ (5-2) return to a newly renovated Desert Financial Arena on Thursday, Sept. 10, winning in four sets in game one of the Snyder-Park Classic in Tempe. 

The Aggies put on the pressure from the start, winning the first set without giving up the lead and keeping a lid on ASU’s offense. 

Sun Devils junior outside hitter Una Vajagić struggled in the loss with 12 kills and 11 errors, something that Van Niel noted as a key factor in the loss. 

“We can't have Una (Vajagić) hitting zero,” Van Niel said. “It's just that simple.”

Vajagić, an All-Big 12 preseason team honoree who was one of the most highly-touted transfers on ASU’s roster, came into Thursday’s game leading the team in kills.

Vajagić’s struggles emphasized an all-around sluggish performance for the Sun Devils, leaving Van Niel wishing for a more aggressive approach from his team on Thursday.

“We were playing from off the net too much,” Van Viel said. “As much as I'm frustrated with Una, she wasn't put in good spots.”

Freshman setter Elle Mottola also recorded her worst game as a Sun Devil so far, recording a career-low nine assists in only two sets of work. 

Last week, Mottola received Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors as well as being named to the Big 12 Starting Seven in the first week of the season. 

Senior setter and UT-Rio Grande Valley transfer Isabella Costantini, who took over for Mottola in the starting lineup for the final two sets, stepped into a bigger role for the ASU offense on Thursday, setting her season high in assists with 18.

Van Niel pointed to the passing as part of the offensive struggles for the Sun Devils. 

“We got to pass better,” Van Niel said. “You can't get middles involved when you're not passing, so we weren't passing well. They were passing well, and that tends to be the story in volleyball.” 

Junior libero Faith Frame took some of the blame for the passing hardships. 

“I am focusing on putting our setters in a better position,” Frame said. “I think we could have passed a little bit better.” 

Freshman opposite hitter Isabella Umpierre led UC Davis with 17 kills, while senior outside hitter Brooke Hibino added 14 kills. 

Alongside Umpierre and Hibino, senior setter Mia Starr notched 43 assists and 10 digs for her third consecutive double-double of the season. 

The Aggies handed ASU its first loss at home since Dec. 7, 2024, when the Sun Devils fell to Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament. 

Despite the loss, Van Niel still credited the ASU faithful who showed up for the home opener.

“We got great fan support, and it was loud in there,” Van Niel said. “I'm just disappointed that we performed the way we did in front of our fans, because we love them coming out.”

The strong crowd came out to celebrate the 2025 squad, who were all in attendance for Big 12 championship ring night at Desert Financial Arena.

Even with the added energy, Van Niel never considered the pregame festivities as a factor. 

“I mean, ring night doesn't matter. We got to come out and execute better than that. That was just unacceptable,” Van Niel said. 

Now, with the Sun Devils set to face No. 24 Oregon tomorrow, Frame and her team have no choice but to regroup and look ahead. 

“I think this should light a fire in us, and we should come back harder tomorrow and ready to go,” Frame said. “We're going to come back ready to fight tomorrow.” 

ASU will need that fight tomorrow, facing a Ducks squad currently sitting on a flawless 5-0 record.

With one of the worst losses of his tenure on Thursday and a top-25 test on Friday, Van Niel left the Sun Devils with a simple message. 

“Flush it… we get to play tomorrow."