Sun Devils Turn the Tide Against the Waves in Sweep

TEMPE – The common adage is offense wins games and defense wins championships; however, for the No. 8 Arizona State Sun Devils, their defense stole the show in their first game of the Sun Devil Invitational on Friday.

In front of a rocking Desert Financial Arena crowd, ASU (7-2) was able to sweep the Pepperdine Waves (5-5) in three sets and get back in the win column in front of its home fans. Of course, it did not hurt that the reigning Big 12 champs got star junior opposite hitter, Noemie Glover, back on the court, who promptly led the team with 14 kills.

“I’ve been thinking about playing since I was injured, so just being able to come back and give what the team needs,” Glover said. “I think it’s just amazing to step out and say, okay, this is my time, I got to make the most of it.”

Glover was able to bring out the best in her physicality when her team needed it the most. The aforementioned 14 kills were helpful, but adding 5 blocks from the opposite position is arguably even more impressive, whilst also adding a pair of digs. The timely blocks, however, were what left head coach JJ Van Niel the most impressed, as that is an area many struggle with coming off leg injuries.

“She’s still only practiced like a day and a half, so there’s some rhythm stuff that, you know, she’s off on a little bit,” Van Niel said. “But you know, she’s so physical, and she had some nice blocks at big moments.”

It was not just Glover who stood out on defense for the Sun Devils. As a team, they held Pepperdine to an impressive .131 hitting percentage, an incredible number from a team with such a prominent offense as the Waves. ASU’s blockers had a field day covering up holes all over the court and giving Pepperdine hitters fits.

“I think our block schemes did a really good job; they got really great touches, so it made it easy for our defenders to line up behind them,” senior setter Sydney Henry said. “We also served tough, so they were out of system quite a bit, and it was pretty easy to form a good block; we knew where they were going. So kudos to the block and serve.”

Henry herself was clinically running the Sun Devil offense. She ended with 28 assists, even when Pepperdine had double-digit service errors, and the sweep limited the game to only three sets. She was able to spread the wealth, allowing four different hitters to finish the game with six or more kills. Her ability to quarterback the offense to fit the skillset of those around her has brought the offense to the next level this year.

“I have amazing hitters who literally can do anything with any set,” Henry said. “The passers do an amazing job to get me in a good position, and then our hitters are all so unique and so diverse in their own way, it’s really fun to be creative with them.”

With in-state rival GCU looming, the Sun Devils know they have a lot to work on to reach their ceiling as a team. The two teams met during the spring, a scrimmage ASU won 3-2, but a lot has changed since then for both teams, as Noemie Glover and company try to take things one match at a time with conference play inching closer.

“Just trying to move forward, how we can combat our next opponent, taking it one game at a time, even just one set at a time, how we can problem solve, we have a lot to work on and it’s a long season.”