Sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Willey serves in a home game against Iowa on Sept. 7 2014. (Photo by Ben Moffat)One of the tougher challenges of No. 15 ASU volleyball’s young season will come on Friday against Louisville.
The Cardinals, a team that just fell out of the Top 25 rankings, are 3-2 with wins over Tennessee St., Cincinnati and No. 19 Minnesota.
“They’re really physical on the outsides, they like to set it to their outsides and have had some success,” said ASU coach Jason Watson.
Watson also said Louisville makes opponents play the game long and stays clean. After the match against Idaho St. on Friday, Sep. 5, he said ASU struggled in the first set because they had to play longer points than they wanted to.
This length of set and low-error play may not bode well for ASU. The Sun Devils had 53 total errors last weekend including 24 in one game.
Watson said the team has been focusing on defense in practice.
“We’re trying to see if we can create this defensive identity of facing the hitter and being strong when the hitter hits at us,” he said.
The Sun Devil defense will benefit from the return of one of their key players from injury, senior setter Shannon McCready.
"Shannan is cleared for practice,” Watson announced with a smile on Thursday.
She partially tore her labrum over summer playing volleyball, and began the season allowed to partake in light passing activities but no overhead play.
“(She) gives us some defensive options,” Watson said.
Though she’s cleared, she may not be ready in time for the weekend’s matches.
“She’s still trying to get that shoulder normal, comfortable,” Watson said. “I don’t know what that means for this weekend. We’re just playing it by day.”
Day by day, point by point. That’s been a common theme for the Sun Devils, and junior outside hitter Macey Gardner said they’re trying to focus more on in-the-moment aspects during the matches.
“One of the themes we’ve been sticking with is just playing the point,” she said. “Just worrying about our side, not getting caught up in what they’re doing, their emotion or their offense, just worrying about our side and the next point.”
Gardner said the team is also working on explicit direction instead of “just cheering or yelling and making noise.” Instead, the team will place attention on what they notice on the court, whether it’s the player who should be going after the hit or if they spot a seam to take advantage of.
“If we can clean up our words and make things more clear, that’ll help,” she said.
They’ll need the help, because Watson said the whole week will be difficult. Northern Illinois, the second ASU matchup, plays like Louisville in the sense that both direct the ball to the outside hitters. Northern Illinois also plays the ball fast and has strong defensive presence.
Morehead State, home team and final ASU opponent of the weekend, is 0-6 in the season. This likely drastically differs from their expectations, which were high after a 27-8 2013 campaign concluding in a loss to Illinois in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
“Now they’re at home, so you know that always adds a little bit more dimension to it,” Watson said. “Getting to play some good teams at home gets people excited.”
He’s not looking at that match quite yet, though — Gardner said that the team typically watches video of opponents one match at a time, reflecting Watson’s day-by-day mindset. The first match is Louisville.
“It’s a big match,” Watson said. “It has a lot of postseason implications for both teams.”
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @Logan_Newsman
