The ASU volleyball team began its season in impressive fashion, sweeping through its three games at the Hilton Phoenix/East Mesa Sun Devil Volleyball Classic this weekend en route to the tournament championship.
The Sun Devils rode strong performances by tournament MVP Nicole Morton and junior libero Sydney Donahue, who tied the single-game Pac-10 record with 50 digs in the final game against Loyola Marymount.
"I can't think of anything that would have helped our team more than being 3-0 and winning every game," coach Brad Saindon said. "It's going to do a lot for our team's mental health and morale."
ASU began the tournament Friday with a 30-24, 30-26, 30-21 win over Northeastern. The Huskies kept the opening game close, but with the score even at 23, the Sun Devils won seven of the final eight points.
"The key to that whole match was how we played in the early part of game one," Saindon said. "They were challenging us hard, and it was neck and neck. But we just kept on keeping on and finally were able to separate at the end."
Sophomore outside hitter Margie Giordano led the team with 16 kills and a .424 hitting percentage against the Huskies, while Donahue added 16 digs.
Morton, who had 11 kills in the opening match, said she was happy with how her senior season began.
"I was really excited to come out here," she said. "It's my senior year, and I want to make the most of it. I just came out with a whole bunch of adrenaline. The team's been practicing really hard, so we're all really excited about it."
ASU defeated Utah Valley State 30-22, 30-13, 30-21, in Saturday's opening match. Morton led the team with 12 kills and a .450 hitting percentage while Donahue recorded 15 digs.
The win over the Wolverines set up a title match against Loyola Marymount, which had won its first two matches in the tournament as well.
After winning the first game 30-26, the Sun Devils struggled for much of the second. The Lions took a 20-16 lead after the referee appeared to blow his whistle early, and awarded them a point.
ASU responded by winning seven of the next eight points to take a lead it would not relinquish on its way to a 30-27 win in the second game.
"[The questionable call] made us mad," Donahue said. "We all fed off that, and it was great. I'm so proud of everyone. We worked as a total team, and we haven't done that the past two years."
The Sun Devils wore down the Lions in the third game, staying ahead throughout and winning 30-25.
"There's a cumulative effect," Saindon said. "We didn't give them anything, and we made them earn everything. A lot of the teams that we play against are just not willing to work as hard as we worked tonight, and that's how we have to be if we're going to win games in this conference."
Saindon also gave credit to Donahue, whose conference record-tying 50 digs led the team to the 3-0 win.
"People that weren't here at this match are going to see those numbers and say, 'No way she had that many,'" he said. "[The number of digs she had] was unbelievable. She's a special player."
Reach the reporter at matthew.storey@asu.edu
