Junior middle blocker Alexis Pinson relays commands to her teammates during the Sun Devils’ 3-0 loss to No. 4 Oregon on Oct. 20. (Photo by Kyle Newman)The ASU volleyball team hits the road again this week for two more games in Oregon.
Playing on Thursday and Friday this week, the Sun Devils take on Oregon State and No. 4 Oregon. The challenge to win on the road is always tough, especially for ASU. The Sun Devils did not get their first road win this season until two weeks ago when they defeated Cal in five sets.
“The Pac-12 always has good crowds, and it can be a factor even if you don’t want to admit that it is, but sometimes it plays a role in how you do,” junior middle blocker Alexis Pinson said.
The games against the Oregon schools are crucial for a Sun Devil (16-11, 5-9 Pac-12) team that is on the brink of making the NCAA tournament.
“There are six opportunities left, and certainly we need to get one out of the next six to guarantee we’re going to be above .500, which is one of the criteria,” ASU coach Jason Watson said. “First one is at Oregon State, a challenge at their place, but certainly something were looking forward to.”
A win against one of the two teams this week can considerably help the team’s chances of making the postseason tournament.
The Beavers (13-13, 3-11 Pac-12) are coming off a tough weekend against No. 1 Stanford and California, dropping both games to the northern California schools.
Statistically, Oregon State is the second-worst school in the Pac-12 when it comes to offense. The Beavers are No. 11 in both assists per set (11.03) and kills per set (12.18). They rank last in hitting percentage in the conference, converting at only a .186 percentage per set.
Junior libero Becky Defoe has helped keep Oregon State alive in the hunt for a tournament spot with her solid defense. The junior leads the Pac-12 in digs, averaging 5.06 per set.
The quick road trip ends Friday night against Oregon (20-3, 11-3 Pac-12).
The Ducks, who were sailing through their conference schedule, suffered a couple setbacks last weekend, as the two northern California schools also made life tough for Oregon.
On Friday night, California upset the Ducks and won in a dramatic five-set match.
A couple days later, Oregon dropped its game against Stanford, losing to the Cardinal for the second time this season. The losses dropped the Ducks from their No. 2 ranking to No. 4.
When the Sun Devils go up against Oregon on Friday night, the Ducks will look to their fast-paced, efficient offense to get the team going again.
While rival Oregon State ranks nearly last in several offensive categories, the Ducks are the opposite, as they are No. 1 in team assists and kills, averaging 14.72 assists per set and 15.75 kills per set. The team’s .291 hitting percentage is good to put them at No. 2 in the Pac-12 in that category.
“We need to keep momentum going on our side of the net,” ASU sophomore outside hitter Nora Tuioti-Mariner said. “If we all just throw it all on the court, I’m sure good things will happen.”
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
