TEMPE — Just under one year ago, Texas A&M upset Arizona State in the Second Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
The loss still stings head coach JJ Van Niel, who coached last year’s team to a 30-3 overall record and a Big 12 championship.
On Friday night, the Sun Devils (28-3 overall, 17-1 Big 12) returned to that exact position at Desert Financial Arena on Friday — this time as a No. 2 seed. Against Mountain West champions Utah State (24-8 overall, 18-0 conference), who upset No. 7 seed Tennessee in the opening round, it had the ingredients for another potential shock defeat for ASU.
However, this time Van Niel’s side prevailed, clinching a spot in the Regional Semifinals with a 3-1 win against the Aggies.
“I think every year is a new shot, but last year was very painful,” Van Niel said on reaching the Sweet 16 after falling short last year.
“I really had no idea this year what we would look like,” Van Niel said. “It’s 100% a new lineup, and I’m really proud of these kids because they’ve fought, they’ve scrapped, they’ve all gotten better through the year, and they’ve earned this. It’s been a really special group.”
Led by senior outside hitter Bailey Miller and junior opposite hitter Noemie Glover on offense, the Maroon and Gold logged their highest hitting percentage of the 2025 season, recording .419% during the win. Three Sun Devils notched double-digit kills, which included senior opposite hitter Tatum Parrott alongside Miller and Glover.
Miller struggled yesterday in ASU’s opening tournament game against Coppin State. The senior recorded her third-lowest hitting percentage of the season against the Eagles, posting only six kills with five errors on 16 attacks.
How did she fare against Utah State?
She had her highest hitting percentage of the campaign (0.471%) and led the team with 18 kills.
“Yesterday I was just really amped up and ready to start the tournament,” Miller said. “I think it affected my mentality a little bit; it was a little clouded judgment, but I thought about it a lot and just telling myself I need to relax and just go out and play.”
As a senior, Friday marked her final game at Desert Financial Arena.
“I always love playing on this home court,” Miller said. “The community that we’ve built in Tempe is just so special and to be able to play here with these girls means everything to me.”
The Sun Devils largely controlled the first set, but Utah State began to chip away at a five-point deficit following a timeout. However, Van Niel’s side found rhythm again, rallying to end the set on an 11-2 run. In total, ASU posted a .379% hitting percentage and four aces in the first set compared to Utah State’s .114% and two aces.
The Maroon and Gold continued cruising in the second set. They racked up 24 kills (0.455%) in the game halfway through the set as they led 15-10. Van Niel’s side won it 25-18 with Miller reaching double-digit kills on the night.
“There were definitely some things we thought we could exploit,” Van Niel said on how ASU managed to record its high hitting percentage. “Our middles didn’t get a lot of kills tonight, but there’s a reason because they were fronting the middle every time, and the rights have been really aggressive.”
Utah State found its form following the short break. ASU committed four errors in the set, which helped put the Aggies up 17-13. Van Niel’s side responded, scoring four straight to take an 18-17 advantage.
But the visitors, with their season on the line, continued to fight back. Led by sophomore opposite side hitter Loryn Helgesen and sophomore outside hitter Mara Štiglic–who combined for 36 of Utah State’s 53 kills–the Aggies scored seven of the last ten rallies. Though tight for most of the set, Utah State pulled through 25-22 to force a fourth round.
ASU weathered another tight opening in the fourth set, eventually ending the match on a 15-6 run and winning the match 3-1.
For the second time under Van Niel, the Sun Devils will play in the Sweet 16 — Their last appearance came in 2023 when they fell to Stanford in California.
ASU will look to reach the Elite 8 for the first time in program history, as the team faces No. 3 Creighton next weekend.
“We have to be a tough serving team,” Van Niel said on what it will take to beat the Bluejays. “Tonight, we were serving really well for most of the match. We’ve got to be really, really gritty on defense.”
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