(Photo: Marlee Smith/WCSN)
Arizona State rounded out the 2019 season with a victory against in-state rival, Arizona, and finished with a record of 9-11 in conference play. The 2019 season for the Sun Devils was indeed an improvement from last season, when the Sun Devils ended with a 5-15 conference record.
Additionally, for the first time since 2015, Arizona State earned NCAA tournament eligibility. Despite the season being an improvement from last year, the Sun Devils resumé was not enough for Arizona State to reach the tournament, as their season ended without a secured spot in the field.
Head coach Sanja Tomasevic had the Sun Devils running a modified 6-2. The system ensures that there are constantly three front row hitters in all six rotations which gives any team using the rotation more of an edge on offense since the setter has more options to go to.
At various times throughout the season, the Sun Devils struggled with out of system plays due to weak defense on serve receive. Serve receive constantly posed a challenge for Arizona State as it forced setters to adjust and make their targets despite receiving bad passes.
Junior outside hitter Andrea Mitrovic led the Sun Devils in kills this season ending with a grand total of 344. Senior libero Courtney Leffel led ASU in digs totaling 566 by the end of her final season as a Sun Devil. Arguably the best middle blocker Arizona State has on their lineup, junior Megan Beedie, earned 71 cumulative blocks this season.
After making a leap in play from her sophomore to junior season, Beedie is definitely a player to look out for next season as the Mississauga, Ontario, native hopes to make another leap in production during her senior season.
Arizona State had several highlights throughout the season when they had tactful hitting and strong defense. One of the most notable moments of the season was when the Sun Devils took out No. 21 Washington State in a nail-biting five-set match in November.
The Sun Devils had already faced the Cougars earlier in the season yet they were able to learn something from their loss and take Washington State by surprise. It was in this game that Arizona State displayed a strong offense utilizing multiple hitters, earning a steady hitting percentage, in addition to precise placement of the ball.
Although the Sun Devils weren’t quite able to take out No. 16 Utah or No. 20 Cal, the team managed to take both teams to five sets toward the end of the season, proving Arizona State’s ability to compete with ranked teams.
This year’s team relied heavily on their seniors. It had been stated multiple times throughout the season by the coaching staff that Arizona State’s performance in a match was contingent on the performance of their senior libero, Courtney Leffel. Moreover, the Sun Devil offense was run by two veteran senior setters, Nicole Peterson and Callie Jones. The two setters were a core component of Arizona State’s offense.
Senior outside hitter Ivana Jeremic received a spot on the 2019 Pac-12 Honorable Mention list. This was Jeremic’s first postseason honor of her career as a Sun Devil. Jeremic ended her senior season with double figures in kills in eight matches as well as double figures in digs in seven matches. Throughout conference play, she also earned four double-doubles in four matches. Jeremic produced 175 kills, 168 digs and 41 blocks which put her in the number two spot on the team for all three areas.
It is safe to say that the seniors on Arizona State’s lineup will be missed. However, they left a legacy that will certainly be remembered and could aid in building a team that is a force to reckon with in the Pac-12 in years to come.
