Junior outside hitter Macey Gardner hits through Idaho State's block to score a point during the Residence Inn Challenge against on Friday Sept. 5 at Wells Fargo Arena. ASU won the match 3-1. (Photo by Sawyer Hardebeck)The importance of the backup players was evident in ASU’s two-win day against University of Alabama at Birmingham and Idaho State University. These two matches were part of three in a 24 hour span.
“(Fatigue) definitely affected us,” said sophomore outside hitter Kizzy Willey. “We only have 13 on our roster so that’s been a factor.”
Willey had played every point of the Mt. Royal University match on Thursday night and the first two sets against UAB.
The third set was when junior backup outside hitter Andi Lowrance came in. She played in only one set the entire day, but she made an enormous impact.
ASU led 2-0 in the match and 9-6 in the third set when Lowrance got the kill. The next two points resulted in the same outcome: Lowrance kill, Lowrance kill.
It culminated in a 24-15 score that Lowrance finished with her seventh kill of the set. She finished the match tied with junior middle blocker Mercedes Binns for a game-high.
“Andi was really good,” said ASU coach Jason Watson. “Those are important opportunities for Andi, given we don’t have that many outside hitters… Giving her those opportunities and having her respond is really, really important for us.”
What allowed Lowrance to come in may have come from the dominance displayed by ASU in the previous two sets, primarily on the hitting percentage.
In the first set, ASU hit .423. UAB hit at a -.042 clip.
Junior middle blocker Whitney Folette and sophomore outside hitter McKenzie Willey attempt to block a hit against Idaho State on Friday, Sept. 5. ASU won the match 3-1. (Photo by Sawyer Hardebeck)ASU’s hitting percentage dropped to .276 in the second set, but it was still remarkably higher than UAB's at .065.
The trend continued into the Idaho St. match. ASU’s hitting percentage fell to .192 in the first set and ISU’s was marginally better at .208. The Bengals won the set 25-23.
“Hitting efficiency’s a nice number, but it doesn’t tell the whole story,” Watson said.
In the first set, Idaho St. forced the game to be played longer and points to last longer than ASU wanted. Watson said the team turned it around on the Bengals, helping ASU, and made fewer errors. By doing this, Watson said their hitting efficiency improved.
Additionally, while Watson said it wasn’t a very good passing night, sophomore setter Bianca Arellano was able to get the middle blockers more involved in the offensive game.
Binns was a large part of this. Arellano was targeting her more, and it paid off – Binns recorded nine kills in 18 attempts.
“It became this real focus this week that our middles have to score points,” Watson said.
Watson said the Binns-Arellano connection has improved a great deal, and he’s told Arellano to not be afraid to find her often.
“I thought today, she found her,” Watson said. “And found her high. There were a couple of balls that Mercedes hit tonight that I were wondering if they were actually going to be set to the outside, and she picked them off.”
Binns’ 6’3” frame helps her extend to the greatest height to power it down.
ASU’s hitting percentage increased as the ISU game progressed, but another key impact that led to the Bengals’ first set victory was the digging from ISU redshirt senior libero Kylie Sessions. She finished the first set with four digs, including three in which she dove right around the net to make a miraculous save.
Arellano recorded five digs for the Sun Devils, which warranted high praise from Watson.
“I thought Bianca was really, really good in every phase of her game tonight,” Watson said.
Junior middle blocker Mercedes Binns and her teammates celebrate after the match-winning point against Idaho State on Friday, Sept. 5. ASU defeated Idaho State 3-1. (Photo by Sawyer Hardebeck)She amassed 46 assists against ISU after recording 29 against UAB.
This is a reflection of working on compatibility with the hitters.
“I thought that last year, there were moments when it clearly, it was evident to everybody that it was just the Macey (Gardner) show,” Watson said.
This year has been different so far: sophomore opposite hitter BreElle Bailey’s been more involved, the middles have gotten action and Willey’s shown improvement.
“I think she’s pretty confident in all of her hitters,” Watson said.
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Logan_Newsman
