The undefeated ASU volleyball team (15-0) has faced top-15 teams in each of the past four weeks but this weekend the Sun Devils might see their perfect start to the season come to an end against No. 6 Washington.
Senior setter Bianca Arellano said the crowd at Washington is reverberating.
“They have a really nice, small gym," she said. "It’s all blacked out, they get a bunch of fans. It’ll be a good first coming sight for our newcomers.”
On top of the crowd impact, ASU will also have to get through seniors Melanie Wade and Lianna Sybeldon, two of the best middle blockers in the Pac-12.
Offensively, they lead a team that tops the conference in hitting percentage at .318. Sybeldon hits .485, well above the second-highest in the conference (.419). In Wednesday’s match against Arizona, she had 19 kills on 26 attempts with no errors.
Wade is sixth in the conference with a .382 hitting percentage. Between them lies sophomore outside hitter Courtney Schwan, who’s in third with a .403 percentage.
ASU head coach Jason Watson said Washington’s speed of attack is “unique.”
“They’re setting them at a tempo that’s perhaps a little bit slower than lots of other teams,” he said. “(It) enables their hitters to have a great deal of range.”
Defensively, the team had led the Pac-12 in opponent’s hitting percentage until Wednesday night. Arizona pushed Washington’s percentage allowed from .117 to .130.
It is second only to ASU, which sports a .119 opponent percentage.
Washington leads the conference in blocks per set. Wade and Sybeldon are second and sixth, respectively, combining for 2.86 per set.
Senior middle blocker Whitney Follette said ASU has to play at a different tempo than Washington does.
“If we run a quick offense and stay (on) our passing we should be able to get by (the block),” she said.
ASU then plays Washington State, a team that both Gardner and Arellano described as scrappy.
The Cougars won 11 straight games before Pac-12 play began, but have dropped three of the last four since.
The losses have come to No. 6 Washington, No. 1 USC and No. 12 UCLA.
ASU will have to look out for junior outside hitter Kyra Holt, who is fourth in the conference in kills per set. Additionally, senior outside hitter Macey Gardner noted that freshman outside hitter McKenna Woodford has played well.
“I think if we can kind of isolate those players we’ll do well,” Gardner said.
This ASU team just became the first Sun Devil volleyball squad to start 4-0 in conference play since joining Pac-10 play in 1986.
Its tough road continues this week.
“We have a target on our backs now so no game’s off,” Gardner said.
Related Links:
Tracing Macey Gardner's ascent to Pac-12 stardom at ASU volleyball
Macey Gardner breaks ASU volleyball's all-time kill record in sweep over Cal
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow @Logan_Newsman on Twitter.
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