It’s time for the road again.
The ASU (3-3) volleyball team faces more challenges this weekend as they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to compete in the Carolina Challenge.
Awaiting the Sun Devils are Georgia Southern (3-5), No. 19 San Diego (6-0) and North Carolina (4-1).
These teams are the last non-conference foes that ASU will face this season. Last year, the Sun Devils’ non-conference record of 5-7 hurt their chances of making it to the postseason.
Senior middle blocker Sonja Markanovich said the shape of the season relies on their success in this tournament.
“In previous years our season depended on how we did in preseason,” Markanovich said. “So we need to come out with as many wins as we can.”
ASU coach Jason Watson said a strong tournament should also help the Sun Devils gain momentum going into Pac-12 play.
ASU opens its first match of the tournament against GSU. The Eagles are coming off a rough weekend after being swept in the Varney’s Invitational; however, Watson maintains his respect for them.
“That Georgia Southern team is a nice team,” Watson said. “They’ve had quite a deal of success over the course of the tenure with their coach. Right now we got our hands full with Georgia Southern.”
The Sun Devils then face their strongest challenge of the tournament when they face USD. The undefeated Toreros swept all of their matches this season except one.
Offensively, USD has three players with over 60 kills: sophomore middle hitter Chloe Ferrari (68), and junior outside hitters Amber Tatsch (66) and Carrie Baird (62). The Toreros are also a very strong blocking team, amassing 52.5 total blocks in six games.
Markanovich believes the key to winning against a tough opponent like USD is having a fast start.
“We have to start as soon as the game starts,” Markanovich said. “We have to give it our all from the get-go and keep playing at the same level throughout the whole game.”
ASU’s last match is against UNC. The Tar Heels are fresh off a sweep in the Western Michigan Invitational tournament. UNC as a whole has the best hitting percentage of all the teams in the tournament at .284.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
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