Box Score
IOWA CITY – A late scoring run from Arizona State would give the Sun Devils a 3-2 victory over Butler on Friday afternoon (25-16, 19-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-8). Butler played their second five-set match of the day in the Hawkeye Classic and would eventually run out of steam with ASU recording the final seven points of the decisive fifth set.
Anna Logan was the top offensive weapon for the Bulldogs, ending the match with a team-high 15 kills. Logan took 50 total swings to come up with her team-high 19 points.
Whitney Beck and
Makayla Ferguson were also active in the BU offensive attack. Beck posted eight kills, while Ferguson set the table with 35 assists.
The top two-way players in the Butler rotation were
Jessica Klingensmith and
Bri Lilly. Klingensmith made the most of her swings (.312) to record seven kills. She stepped up defensively with six blocks. The team leader in blocks was Lilly who came up with eight while also sending six kills down to the hardwood.
The opening set featured an 8-2 ASU run that increased the Sun Devil lead to 20-12. Oluoma Okaro posted three-straight service aces during the scoring spree to put ASU in the driver's seat 1-0.
Set two was the exact opposite as Butler jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead. ASU got within three at 12-9, but the 'Dawgs would never trail en route to posting their 25-19 win.
ASU would hold the upper hand in set three by doubling up the BU scoring total at 14-7. The Sun Devils would never trail in this one, as they hit the finish line in front at 25-20.
The fourth set was the closest action from start to finish. Butler opened up a 10-5 lead, but the Devils would catch up in crunch time at 20-19. Ferguson would help BU string together three-straight points to grab a 23-20 lead, but a service error would keep ASU alive. Logan pushed BU to set point moments later and an ASU attack error would push the two teams into a fifth set.
The two evenly matched teams came together at 8-8 in the fifth set after strong performances from Logan and Okaro. The difference maker was Halle Johnson who served for the final six points of the game allowing the Sun Devils to come out victorious.
Day two of the 2016 Hawkeye Classic will feature Butler playing against Iowa and Western Illinois. The first match against the Hawkeyes is slated for 11 AM with the nightcap to follow against the Leathernecks at 5:30 PM.
