(Photo: Josh Eaton/WCSN)
TEMPE — Chants of “A-S-U” and “Monster Block” rang around Desert Financial Arena throughout the evening, a sight that has become increasingly common for No. 9 Arizona State, which hosted a region in the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. With only one loss on its home court in the past two seasons, ASU hosted Coppin State in the round of 64, looking to continue its nearly perfect record in front of a home crowd.
The second-seeded Sun Devils (27-3, 17-1 Big 12) took care of business with a comfortable 3-0 sweep (25-11, 25-14, 25-12) over the Eagles (23-12, 13-1 MEAC) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. ASU never fell behind in any set, suffocating a Coppin State offense that came into the contest 10th in the nation in total kills.
“Ever since we’ve clinched the Big 12, I’ve tried to harp on … every single practice, every match we play, is prep for the tournament,” head coach JJ Van Niel said. “I was proud that they came out and did this, because we’ve had some lapses this season.”
This Sun Devils squad has occasionally let its foot off the gas when in control, but they were nearly flawless during a match that lasted barely over an hour.
ASU only required 39 kills to put Coppin State away, but it was the lack of self-inflicted mistakes that shone through. Its seven attack errors were its fewest on the season, as the hitters were aggressive up front without overswinging.
“Our passers do a great job at getting us in system and setters putting up the ball to where we have the ability to do that, and I think we did a really clean job with that tonight,” senior outside hitter Tatum Parrott said.
From the opening moments, the Sun Devils seemed to physically impose their will on the Eagles in all areas of the court. Junior middle blocker Ella Lomigora set the tone early with four total blocks in the first set, each rejection setting off the home crowd.
“Our servers put that pressure on, so (it was) just a lot easier for me to read and adjust and move around,” Lomigora said. “Our pens did a great job lining up tonight, so that made it a lot easier.
On the other end, junior opposite hitter Noemie Glover was her usual assertive self. She finished with 14 kills on .522 hitting, her fourth-most efficient performance of the season, but it was her variety that stood out. Glover alternated between feathery tips over the outstretched arms of Coppin State’s blockers or thunderous spikes that punctuated the hardwood floor and the Eagles’ morale.
Glover only seemed to get better as the game wore on, with half of her kills coming in the final period. ASU seemed to follow her lead; the team had 27 kills with just three errors in the second and third sets. On a day when senior outside hitter Bailey Miller struggled to find her groove, the depth of the Sun Devil roster was able to nullify her off-game.
“We don’t have to do anything special,” Van Niel said. “We have to keep playing the volleyball that we’ve been playing all season. Bailey was pressing in the match, and she made some uncharacteristic errors trying to make the perfect shot. And that’s not how you’re going to win volleyball matches.”
ASU’s complete superiority allowed Van Niel to test out players who usually don’t get heavy minutes “just in case”. Sophomore Zoey Burgess, appearing in only her third game this year, had three kills, while freshman outside hitter Ella Lewis recorded her fifth game of the season with two or more service aces.
The Sun Devils were locked in on the defensive end as well, with 48 digs being their fourth-most in a game this year, as every long rally seemed to fall the Maroon and Gold’s way.
ASU’s quick night was preceded by its next opponent, Utah State, which won a five-set marathon in an upset win over No. 18 Tennessee to advance. The Sun Devils once again receive a built-in advantage in the match’s location: back at DFA.
“We don’t travel. We don’t have to deal with hotels and all that nonsense,” Van Niel said. “Coming out and hearing the crowd cheering for us is huge. It’s a big deal for the players. They love it. I think they thrive on it, so we love the fan support. It makes a big difference.”
Van Niel described the 24-7 Aggies as “really scrappy” before comparing them to the 2023 ASU side he coached during his first year in Tempe. The Sun Devils were upset by an Aggie team last year in the second round at home, seventh-seeded Texas A&M. But with a virtually brand new starting lineup combined with players who experienced last year’s heartbreak, Van Niel is confident in his squad to make the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years.
“Just keep doing what we’re doing,” Van Niel said. “We just got to go out and play our brand of volleyball and see how the chips fall.”
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