Sand Devils Drop Duals on First Day of Pac-12 North

SEATTLE – Despite some close battles, No. 12 Sun Devil Beach Volleyball dropped both duals on Friday afternoon to start the Pac-12 North Tournament, falling 4-1 to No. 3 USC before a close 3-2 loss to No. 13 Washington on their home sand.

Arizona State (16-6) is now 9-6 against ranked teams this season following the two losses. In Pac-12 play, the Sun Devils are 3-4.

Sophomore Arden Besecker was able to extend her winning streak by one more as she and her partner junior Anya Pemberton picked up a three-set win against USC’s twos. Besecker’s streak ended at 12-straight wins, holding the top spot in the record book alone. Freshman Ava Williamson’s streak ended at 11 in a row.

Junior Lillie Seymour made her collegiate debut in the first dual against USC, playing on court four with Ava Kirunchyk. 

Game One: #3 USC 4, #12 ASU 1

The twos of Besecker and Pemberton won a big three-set battle, but the Sun Devils fell 4-1 to the Trojans (22-3) in the first dual of the day. It was tied 11- after the first wave thanks to the No. 2 pair, but USC won all three in the second wave to take the victory.

Results (Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3, 5*, 1)

1. Kraft/Maple (USC) def. Daniella Kensinger/Ava Williamson (ASU) 21-12, 21-16
2. Arden Besecker/Anya Pemberton (ASU) def. Kriz/Seits (USC) 21-19, 14-21, 15-12
3. A. Nourse/N. Nourse (USC) def. Taryn Ames/Lexi Sweeney (ASU) 21-14, 21-16
4. Pater/White (USC) def. Ava Kirunchyk/Lillie Seymour (ASU) 21-12, 21-6
5. Radell/Thomas (USC) def. Ava Haughy/Adriana Nieves Papaleo (ASU) 21-19, 21-19

Game Two: #13 UW 3, #12 ASU 2
In an intense battle, ASU fell to the host team Washington (10-9) by a score of 3-2. Following the first wave, the Huskies had the 2-0 lead after a pair of three-set matches. In the second wave, the ones and fives tied the dual up with straight-set wins. It all came down to the threes, which went to a third set. Ames and Sweeney had battled back to win the second set and force a third but came up short.

Results (Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1, 5, 3*)

1. Daniella Kensinger/Ava Williamson (ASU) def. Monk-Heidrich/Rabitsch (UW) 21-19, 21-11
2. Henson/Wilcok (UW) def. Arden Besecker/Anya Pemberton (ASU) 17-21, 21-15, 15-5
3. Barton/Mather (UW) def. Taryn Ames/Lexi Sweeney (ASU) 21-16, 16-21, 15-11
4. Dahl/Martin (UW) def. Ava Kirunchyk/Carys Thomas (ASU) 21-16, 13-21, 15-12
5. Ava…