Senior outside hitter Erica Wilson serves the ball during the ASU Sheraton Invitational last weekend. (Photo by Kyle Newman)The ASU women’s volleyball team has traveled to four different arenas to play against nine different teams this season, but none will be comparable to what the Sun Devils will face on Tuesday.
After wrapping up the non-conference part of their schedule at 11-2, the Sun Devils travel to Tucson on Tuesday night to take on rival UA (8-3).
Not only does this game mark the beginning of the team’s Pac-12 schedule, it also is the first game of the year between the two schools in any sport as they battle for the Territorial Cup.
Last season, the teams split the series (1-1), after ASU took Game 2 from the Wildcats (3-1) in the Wells Fargo Arena on last year’s Senior Day on Nov. 26. This is the first time that the Sun Devils have opened up conference play against UA since 2006.
The Wildcats head into the match currently riding a 4-game winning streak. The team took two out of three in their Wildcat Classic to start the season. UA then traveled to Pepperdine to participate in the Asics Classic, where they lost to No. 14 ranked Pepperdine.
Since then, they have played in two more tournaments in Tucson, going 5-1 in the two tournaments combined.
ASU heads into tonight’s match-up sporting their best record since 2009, a 5-game winning streak, and the most wins heading into conference play since the team had 14 back in 1982.
The Sun Devils are being lead offensively by freshman outside hitter Macey Gardner and senior outside hitter Erica Wilson. The two have combined for 454 kills on the season and rank first and fifth in kills per set in the conference at 4.82 and 4.26, respectively.
Freshman setter Allison Palmer has helped pace the offense this season, as she ranks second in the Pac-12 in assists per set with 11.92 a game.
Defensively, junior libero Stephanie Preach has been solid for the Sun Devils. She averages 4.90 digs per set, good enough for put her second in the Pac-12.
ASU will begin their journey to capturing the Territorial Cup on Tuesday in Tucson at 7 p.m.
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
