(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)
Off to the program’s best start since 1976, the No. 7 Arizona State Sun Devils begin the gauntlet of Pac-12 play as they look to stay undefeated, taking on in-state rival No. 14 Arizona.
The Wildcats come in at 10-2 on the season, with their only two losses coming to No. 2 Texas and No. 12 Ohio State.
The Sun Devils are coming into Pac-12 play on the heels of an emotional win against then-No. 6 Illinois to close out their home tournament last weekend.
In that match, Arizona State’s defense played incredibly well. The team tallied 17 total blocks led by senior outside hitter Macey Gardner and senior middle blocker Whitney Follette, who had seven each. The defense also held Illinois to a .119 hitting percentage.
The Sun Devil defense will need to play well again against another great offensive team. The Wildcats come in averaging 14.5 kills per set. Junior outside hitter Kalei Mau, who averages 4.26 kills per set and junior setter Penina Snuka, who leads the team in assists at just over 11 per set, are key cogs in what the Wildcats want to do offensively.
Conversely, the Arizona defense will need to step up as well. The team as whole is not a particularly great blocking team. It only averages 2.3 blocks per set compared to ASU’s 3.1. The Sun Devils average a little over 13 kills per set, and while that number might not seem astoundingly high, it’s an efficient 13 as they are hitting .246 as a team.
Another recent trend in the Sun Devils offensive attack is service aces. In the match against Illinois, the team had six service aces, three of which came from junior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell. If the team continues to serve the way it has been, it adds depth to this already efficient offense.
The match is set for 7 p.m. on September 24 at Wells Fargo Arena, and it can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks.
