(Photo via Ritisha Thakker/WCSN)
In just a matter of days, fifth-seeded Arizona State volleyball (28-6, 14-6 Pac-12) has garnished the attention of not only the greater Phoenix area but the entire volleyball nation.
The Sun Devils’ consecutive sweeps to begin NCAA tournament play against unseeded Georgia and No. 4 seed BYU in Provo last weekend were history-making for ASU and significant for its perception as a legitimate program in collegiate volleyball.
However, Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year JJ Van Niel has been soaking in the experience in since the tournament began and has not taken anything for granted.
“It’s been a blast,” Van Niel said. “I told the girls after the last match that the best part about this is that I get to be with them another week because when it’s over, it’s over.”
Nevertheless, the road map for ASU to continue its magic carpet ride of a season does not get any easier, as the red-hot Sun Devils now head back to Palo Alto to take on No. 1 seed Stanford (27-3, 19-1 Pac-12) in the regional semifinal Thursday.
The drama for the matchup is palpable, as it is the proverbial “rubber match” for these two conference foes. Stanford swept ASU at home back on Sept. 29, while the Sun Devils arguably pulled off their most convincing win of the regular season when they handed the Cardinal its only Pac-12 regular season loss exactly a month later on Oct. 29. ASU’s victory was also in sweeping fashion.
“I felt like the first time we played them, we were not our typical selves,” Van Niel said. “We certainly played more freely the second time, but that’s how we have been lately, and we just hope to carry that into Thursday.”
Hitting percentage was a significant factor in the two previous meetings, as both sides won the hitting battle convincingly in each match they won in the regular season. However, the Sun Devils’ hitting has been sizzling in the NCAA tournament, as they are coming off a .427 hitting percentage against Georgia and a .301 clip against BYU.
Meanwhile, Stanford has also been hitting notably well as of late, but unlike ASU, has struggled when it comes to putting teams away. In the second round Saturday against eighth-seeded Houston (19-10, 11-7 Big 12), the Cardinal got out to a 2-0 set lead before the Cougars stormed back and forced five sets. Houston hit at a clip of .252, the fifth-highest allowed by the Cardinal all season.
As both teams dance deeper into the tournament, the pressure is rising to perform. Junior middle blocker Claire Jeter, who was one of four Sun Devils to be named to the AVCA Pacific South All-Region team Tuesday, feels that their experience against Stanford this season will benefit them in the end.
“It’s basically a clean slate now,” Jeter said. “We know how to beat them, and not many teams can say that. We know how talented they are, so I think we are just very talented to play them again.”
For Stanford, fifth-year opposite hitter Kendall Kipp, who was named the AVCA Pacific North Region Player of the Year for a second consecutive season Tuesday, will need to show up in a major way.
Kipp had one of her weaker single-match performances in the round of 32 on Saturday with a hitting percentage of just .270. While ASU held her in check in its sweep in Tempe, Kipp was dominant in Palo Alto a month prior with 15 kills, 11 digs, and a .393 hitting percentage.
Senior opposite hitter Marta Levinska will have to continue to lead ASU offensively to match Kipp’s efforts. The Latvian has carried the Sun Devils in the tournament so far with 17 kills in the first two rounds. She also hit .533 in their last match against BYU, good for an ASU tournament record.
Levinska, who also earned a spot on the AVCA Pacific South All-Region team, has never felt the individual pressure during this improbable run for ASU. Instead, she gives credit to her teammates for all the success.
“Obviously, in any sport, it’s the person that scores that gets the credit,” Levinska said. “But there is a passer and a setter who sets me the ball, which is both super important. I know the hitters get a lot of credit, but we certainly would not be here without everyone’s efforts.”
The first serve between the Sun Devils and the Cardinal will be at 9:30 p.m. MST, and the match can be viewed on ESPNU.
