(Photo: Elizabeth Agazaryan/WCSN)
TEMPE – While No. 13 Arizona State Volleyball came into Friday night’s match with the far better record, Colorado had an edge in another area – height. A mismatch in this area could have been main factor in an upset. ASU is aware of this, especially after witnessing this same program upset the Sun Devils in the first of two matches between these teams last season.
Friday’s lineup for the Buffaloes consisted of three players listed at 6’1” or taller. ASU’s starting seven only had three players that fit this description. When a team has this significant of a height advantage, predicting the taller team to have more blocks is easily substantiated.
Despite the mismatch, it was the smaller team that won the blocking battle. The Sun Devils doubled Colorado’s block total with six blocks compared to the Buffaloes’ three. Additionally, Colorado had two block errors on Friday night whereas ASU had just one.
If height truly did give the Buffaloes an edge in this match, it was a very minimal one. The Sun Devils’ (18-2, 7-1 Big 12) deficiency in size didn’t plague them at all as they downed Colorado (10-9, 3-4 Big 12) in straight sets 25-22, 25-16, 25-21.
Coming into a match with a size disadvantage isn’t a one-time occurrence for ASU. Being the shorter team on the court is typically what the Sun Devils expect. Nevertheless, the Sun Devils don’t let that impact their ability to play physically.
Outside hitter Geli Cyr, who is listed at 5 ’10”, is a prime example of ASU playing physical in spite of size. Despite being shorter than many outside hitters, the senior has become a key cog in the Sun Devils’ machine. She described the team’s strategy as consistently outlasting the opponent.
“If we can just dig it five times, eventually they’re going to have to make a mistake,” Cyr said. “A big thing that we try to do is just wear the other team down.”
When it came to getting digs, Cyr did more than she was expected to do. Her 11 digs led the team on Friday night and accounted for one-fourth of the team’s collective 44 digs. This was also Cyr’s fourth consecutive match with double-digit digs.
In each of these matches, the digs were complemented with double-digit kills, giving Cyr four straight double-doubles and continuing her huge season as a dual threat. Even with a remarkable season from her last year, ASU head coach JJ Van Niel has seen growth from Cyr. Mainly because he’s tasked her with more on offense.
“Geli’s done a nice job filling a bigger role this year than last year offensively,” Van Niel said. “She’s worked really hard, and I think, come a long way.”
On the court, ASU outperformed Colorado. This was partially due to the Sun Devils being able to keep the Buffaloes off the court. The Buffaloes didn’t get to showcase their tall presence at the net often because ASU’s serving took away opportunities.
The Sun Devils collectively put up nine service aces on Friday night. More than quadruple the two aces Colorado had. This gap in serving was notable throughout the night, often in key moments.
In the second set, the Buffaloes were keeping it close with ASU until the Sun Devils led 13-12. This was when ASU scored six unanswered points, three of which were aces by setter Brynn Covell. Being a redshirt freshman, this is Covell’s first season playing. A little over halfway through her first season, Van Niel has seen Covell’s play trend upward as of recently.
“She was our best server tonight by far,” Van Niel said. “She’s really turned it on and done a nice job these last couple matches for us.”
Standing at six feet tall, Covell isn’t small for a setter. However, playing bigger as a smaller team isn’t solely an individual mindset for some ASU players. As with her teammates, Covell approaches each match with the sentiment that mindset is more important than size.
She highlights how beneficial Van Niel’s emphasis on strategic planning ahead of each match has been. Covell believes that Van Niel’s pre-match preparation has significantly affected her and the team’s mindset.
“Every day, we have the same routine, and then we get in the game, and we know what to do,” Covell said. “I think it just gives us that, ‘yeah, we are smaller, but we’ve worked for this’ type of mentality.”
