Sun Devils’ season ends in Sweet 16 against Stanford

(Photo courtesy: Sun Devil Athletics)

PALO ALTO, Calif. — In the 50-year history of Arizona State volleyball, the 2023 season provided Sun Devil fans with a product that no one saw coming. From dramatic comebacks to stunning upsets, ASU has been putting the volleyball nation on notice nearly every week this fall.

However, the program’s Cinderella run came to an end late Thursday night in the Sweet 16 in Palo Alto, as the No. 5 seeded Sun Devils (28-7,14-6 Pac-12) fell to the No. 1 seed Stanford Cardinal (29-3,19-1 Pac-12) in four thrilling sets, 25-22, 21-25, 20-25, 21-25.

“Tonight we played one of the top-10 teams in the country and they (Stanford) were really good,” ASU head coach JJ Van Niel said. “They put a ton of pressure on us and I told everyone at the beginning if we can win the serve-and-pass battle, then we have a shot, and we did not tonight.”

ASU came into the match aiming to achieve something that no Sun Devil squad had ever accomplished: reach the Elite Eight. And in the beginning, ASU’s effort and competitive fire were evident.

The first-set victory for the Sun Devils — the first time ASU had ever won a set in a regional semifinal match — was filled with long attacking runs on both sides.

On the part of the Sun Devils, they capitalized heavily on 12 first-set attacking errors by the Cardinal. They would hold Cardinal to a woeful hitting clip of .093 in the first en route to their first-set win, a similar theme to the ASU’s sweep of Stanford back on Oct. 29.

As the Sun Devils lost three close sets following the first on Thursday night, Stanford’s attacking duo of fifth-year opposite hitter Kendall Kipp and sophomore outside hitter Elia Rubin were equally dominant at the net. The two would finish the match with a combined 41 kills, including Kipp collecting 23, a season-best for the two-time defending Pac-12 Player of the Year.

However, one player for ASU truly shined in maroon and gold throughout its final match in 2023: graduate libero Mary Shroll.

In what has been a brilliant tournament for the Tempe native, Shroll showed almost a superhuman ability to save possessions for ASU against one of the best-hitting teams in the country, collecting 30 digs, including 19 through the first two sets alone.

Shroll, who has one more season of eligibility, had an incredible season individually capped off by her receiving a Pac-12 honorable mention and a spot on the AVCA Pacific South All-Region team, which Van Niel was incredibly grateful for Thursday while reflecting on his program’s season.

“Mary was unreal. I just kept looking up, and she was at double-digit digs right away,” Van Niel said. “She was flying all over, keeping us in rallies. It’s probably her best defensive match by far.”

Even with his heartbreaking loss, the future of the program could be set up for success next season with the foundation Van Niel and his players have built, especially if key pieces decided to stay in Tempe.

And while some key contributors — such as senior opposite hitter Marta Levinska and graduate setter Shannon Shields — played their final match as Sun Devils Thursday, Van Niel was emotional about how resilient his team was throughout a season of unprecedented success and newfound attention.

“The message that I want out to the world is I hope everyone gets a chance to coach long enough to experience a team that I just experienced,” Van Niel said. “This is the most special group that I’ve ever had. They represented us well, they represented Arizona well, the university well, and themselves. I couldn’t be more proud of them and of this group.”