TEMPE, Ariz. – The Gonzaga volleyball team fell to Arizona State in four sets (25-20, 25-21, 21-25, 25-14) Friday evening at the Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz. The Bulldogs suffered a season-high 40 hitting errors in the loss.
 
Gonzaga (3-7) was led by Kennedy Croft with her first career double-double, logging a season-high 13 kills and 10 digs. Sarah Penner added 17 kills and nine digs, while Tiyana Hallums finished with a match-high 26 digs.
 
In the first two sets, Gonzaga combined for 21 kills, but 19 hitting errors plagued the Zags, opening the doors for Arizona State (9-2). The Sun Devils never trailed in the first two sets and picked up the 25-20 and 25-21 wins to lead the match 2-0.
 
Gonzaga came alive in the third set behind Croft's seven kills, and as a squad the Bulldogs combined for 19 kills hitting at a .212 clip. The Zags dug 29 of ASU's 43 third-set attempts and added 2.0 team blocks to limit the Sun Devils to .116 hitting for eight kills. Gonzaga raced out to a 5-0 lead to open the set and never looked back, leading by as many as seven to cruise to the 25-21 win.
 
However, the hitting errors returned for the Zags in the fourth, and though Gonzaga had 16 more swings than Arizona State, 13 hitting errors allowed for too many unearned points for the Sun Devils. Gonzaga fell behind 11-4 early in the set, and the Bulldogs were unable to close the gap as ASU claimed the 25-14 fourth set win for the 3-1 match win.
 
"Kennedy stepped up and was able to help us gain some momentum in the third set," head Gonzaga volleyball coach Diane Nelson said. "As a whole, our hitting errors are really hurting us."
 
Arizona State was led Ivana Jeremic with a team-high 12 kills to go along with 17 digs while Shelbie Dobmeier finished with 34 assists and 20 digs.
 
Gonzaga returns to the court Saturday, Sept. 15 in its final match of the Sparky Classic against Northern Arizona. The two teams are scheduled to play at 2:45 p.m.