Junior outside hitter Macey Gardner attacks the ball in a home game against Pepperdine on Sept 20, 2014. (Photo by Mario Mendez)No. 22 ASU volleyball is coming off its first two-loss weekend of the season, but junior outside hitter Macey Gardner doesn't feel any extra pressure heading into this weekend's matches against Washington State and No. 5 Washington.
“We had plenty of opportunities (over the weekend), so I think because of that, we’re just more hungry,” she said.
There were points last weekend when it looked like the Sun Devils could have easily won both their games, a result which would have drastically flipped the script of the weekend.
At times, the team looks unstoppable, and at others, it looked like a team on the very fringes of tournament disqualification.
“(There were a) couple important plays that if we would’ve had (it), it could’ve changed things around, and that’s just how the Pac-12 is,” Gardner said. “If we win a couple points in these matches, that’s the difference between being a middle of the pack and a top-3 team in the pack.”
Associate coach Linda Hampton-Keith expressed confidence.
“The volleyball that we’ve been playing has been great,” she said. “Practices have been great, so I think the team is going into the weekend very confident on the road.”
They have reason to be confident.
Friday’s match is against Washington State. ASU defeated the Cougars in five sets Oct. 19, a comeback victory after losing the first two games.
“They’re a really good, scrappy team,” Gardner said. “They’re willing to play long so we just have to embrace that when we go up there, especially because they have their home crowd.”
It came down to ASU’s defensive presence. This was one of the first games freshman setter Madison McDaniel played good minutes in, and she had four assisted blocks and a solo. The team combined for 17 blocks to go along with 95 digs.
McDaniel and junior middle blocker Andi Lowrance have been scrappy role players off the bench who have come into games and given ASU energy and defense.
“We’ve been getting a lot better at defense these last couple weeks, so hopefully that helps,” Lowrance said.
The Sun Devils will need defense against Washington. Last time the two played, Washington demolished ASU in three games. Only two players had double-digit digs for the Sun Devils, and the team had seven blocks total.
Despite traveling to Washington to play one of the best teams in the NCAA, there is reason for confidence. ASU defeated Washington there two seasons ago, Gardner remembers.
“I think if we have zero doubt in our mind and we’re just out there to play, then I think that’s going to really work in our favor,” she said.
Washington went into last weekend undefeated and walked away with a pair of losses to Colorado and Utah. ASU has defeated both of those schools this year.
“We just have to play our volleyball,” Lowrance said. “We’re such a good team when we play our style.”
That was a talking point during Tuesday’s practice. Watson was on a recruiting trip and not in attendance, but Hampton-Keith spoke about focusing on what the team can control. She said that last weekend, ASU lost because of what they weren’t doing on their own side of the net.
“Do what we do well and let’s stay focused on that,” she said. “Obviously we want to minimize our opponents’ strengths but the main part of this is stay focused on where we’re at now.”
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.eduor follow him on Twitter @Logan_Newsman
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