
It wasn’t the kind of season the ASU women’s volleyball team was looking for when it finished 10th in the inaugural Pac-12 season.
The Sun Devils (9-22, 5-17 Pac-12) are looking to rebound from their performance last season in the Pac-12. This season will be their shot at redemption as they attempt to rise from the bottom and make their way to the top of the conference.
But like in any sport, success on the court will come with how much chemistry the team has on and off the court.
“I’ve never had this feeling before and I‘m really close to my teammates,” senior middle blocker Erica Wilson said. “We have great bonding and we just had to do this drill where if you miss a certain amount of serves you have a punishment at the end, and my teammates helped me out, and that just shows what kind of people they are.”
One of those teammates is sophomore outside hitter Nora Tuioti-Mariner, who is returning after an exceptional freshman year when she was named Honorable Mention to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.
It will be key for the team to have Tuioti-Mariner perform at the level she did last season if they want to make a run at a Pac-12 championship.
“I can’t be complacent where I’m at and need to keep reaching for the stars, and just keep pushing myself,” Tuioti-Mariner said. “It doesn’t matter what kind of rewards I get, it’s all about pushing your team and reaching for the team goals rather than the personal goals.”
The Sun Devils are bringing in their highest rated recruiting class in recent memory, ranking 21st in the nation. Mercedes Binns, Whitney Follette, Macey Gardner, and Allison Palmer will be called upon to contribute immediately for ASU this season.
“We always felt like when we got here that the 2012 class was going to be an important class,” coach Jason Watson said. “They certainly haven’t disappointed us and I think they’ve blended well and are going to play a significant role.”
It will also be important for Wilson and senior outside hitter Sarah Clause to help lead this team and help the four freshmen find their way within the program.
“I know they’re working hard at what they’re doing but there will be times where I have to push them because this is their first season and I’ve been through (what they’ve been through),” Wilson said.
The preseason will be a strong test for the Sun Devils as they travel to Texas, California, and Kansas for three tournaments before they return home to play in their annual ASU Sheraton Invitational, followed by their traditionally difficult conference schedule.
“We’ve been able to get bits and pieces of the season right,” Watson said. “We do a nice job in the non-conference but the conference season got away from us, or we did a nice job in the conference but non-conference got away from us.
“For us, we understand the significance of the non-conference and we got to take care of that first.”
The team’s journey to the top will begin Friday in El Paso, Texas, against Idaho State.
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu