(Photo: Trey Lanthier/WCSN)
The No. 20 Sun Devils are coming off a their second loss against the unranked Oregon State Beavers, after getting swept by them earlier in the season. Now, the Sun Devils will have to play No. 10 Oregon Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Tempe, Ariz.
The last time the Ducks played the Sun Devils, they were upset in a five-set match on their own home court.
“It’s an important weekend for all teams,” head coach Jason Watson said. “They are big matches and there are six matches left to make a statement and I don’t think we can afford to be comfortable ever, ever, ever.”
The Sun Devils are now 7-8 in conference play and hope to to at least split the weekend once again, but they have to beat the No. 10 Ducks first. There have been struggles, but young players have stepped up big time when there team needed it the most. Freshman Madison McDaniel got the start over junior outside hitter McKenzie Willey and had seven kills with 6 digs, and freshman defensive specialist Mia Mazon was put in for McDaniel in the back row and tacked on 11 digs out of the team’s 71.
What To Expect
This match will be a battle. Oregon should be eager to respond after being upset on their own home court, so they should come out with intensity and focus. Junior outside hitter Martenne Bettendorf and senior outside hitter Liz Brenner will lead the charge as they have all season. Both players are hot, as Bettendorf has a team-leading 308 kills and in their match last week against Washington State, Brenner had 11 kills on 12 attempts.
Oregon’s attack game will be strong, but ASU’s defense continues to improve and will be ready with senior Shannon McCready, freshman Mia Mazon, and freshman libero Halle Harker picking up the majority of the balls in the back row.
“We are getting some of the longest rallies that I have ever been a part of, that credit goes to Halle [Harker], Shannon [McCready], and Mia [Mazon],” junior outside hitter Macey Gardner said. “They are doing a really good job picking up balls in the back row, and allowing our front row to swing away multiple times.”
Prediction
It will be a fun match to watch, as Oregon is ranked higher, but the Sun Devils have beaten them before. It is hard to say who will come out with the win, but with the Sun Devils being at home and the match being at night, ASU will be victorious in a gruesome five-set win again.
