After a close call near the line in the fifth set, it took referee Troy Gravett 2 minutes and 25 seconds to reverse the call on the court from in to out. 

On the surface, the decision only changed the outcome of one point in an otherwise lengthy match.

However, for an Arizona State team on its heels, the score change from 7-7 to 8-6 felt monumental in the fifth and final set. 

The Sun Devils went on to score four straight points, led by the serving of junior outside hitter Una Vajagić, to take a commanding 11-6 lead. 

No. 12 ASU (9‑2) avoided the upset and comeback attempt from Cal Poly (4-5) on Friday, Sept. 18, in their second game at the SLO Classic at the Mott Athletic Center in San Luis Obispo, Calif. After taking the first two sets, the Sun Devils prevailed in the fifth to escape with a win and remain undefeated on their road trip out west. 

Vajagić starred for the Sun Devils’ attack, tallying a career-high 21 kills and falling a dig shy of a double-double. 

Senior opposite hitter Noemie Glover, graduate outside hitter Aniya Clinton and junior middle blocker Zoey Burgess added 15, 14 and 10 kills, respectively. 

Clinton’s strong week continued, with Friday marking her second game in a row with 14-plus kills after totaling 15 kills against No. 8 Stanford on Thursday.

Before the fifth set, ASU’s three-game win streak appeared to be in danger, as the Mustangs gained all the momentum going into set five by controlling the prior two sets with dominance at the net. 

Graduate outside hitter Kayla Murdoch led Cal Poly in kills with a season high of 20 while only recording one error. 

Senior outside hitter Emma Fredrick and junior outside hitter Kendall Beshear also tacked on double-digit kills for the Mustangs, adding on 13 and 11, respectively. 

In the end, though, serving propelled the Sun Devils to victory down the stretch. 

Sophomore libero Ella Lewis and junior libero Piper Rama, the two serving specialists on ASU’s roster, showed it Friday night. Lewis finished with three aces, while Rama racked up four aces of her own. 

Both Lewis and Rama also ignited big runs on Friday from the service line. In particular, Rama helped the Sun Devils go on a six-point and three-point run in the second set before getting iced by a timeout on both occasions. 

This isn’t new territory for Rama at all, as she has recorded three or more aces in three of ASU’s last four matches and in five matches overall this season. 

The Sun Devils also got big runs from Vajagić and senior setter Isabella Costantini in the fifth set to help close the door. 

Although the Sun Devils hit at a lower attacking percentage than the Mustangs, four ASU players still notched double digit kills. 

Despite the balanced attack, the Sun Devils are still looking for consistency at setter, as three players recorded 10 or more assists in the win. 

Freshman Elle Mottola led the charge with 28 out of the starting position, but watched the fifth set from the sidelines as Constantini received the starting nod. 

Even with Mottola not playing at the level that earned her Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors earlier this season, ASU still made it work at the setter spot. Costantini added 15 assists and freshman Živa Labinjan recorded a career-high 11 assists. 

Now, the Sun Devils get to breathe a sigh of relief after surviving the “trap game” in San Luis Obispo and extending their win streak to four.

Next, ASU opens up Big 12 play Friday, Sept. 25, traveling to West Virginia before heading to Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 27.