ASU Volleyball: ASU vs Oregon State Preview
By Zach Pekale
In a less than ideal situation, the Arizona State women’s volleyball team is still searching for it’s first conference win in the era of new Head Coach Stevie Mussie.
Despite leading after three sets in each of their past two matches, the Sun Devils lost in five sets to both Utah and Oregon with the latter coming at home.
ASU will look to snap a five-match losing streak when they host Oregon State on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Following the loss to Oregon, Mussie bluntly stated that her club was not ready to compete at a high level and they could only be ‘so close’ for so long.
In order to earn their first conference win, the Sun Devils will need to play a complete match and not lose focus.
That starts with errors.
ASU had attacking percentages of .276 and .378 in the sets they won over Oregon. In sets they were defeated, their attacking percentages were .129, -.167, and .136 as the team committed 23 attacking errors.
“We need to put more balls away and be more efficient when swinging. We have to swing to kill,” said senior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell.
More from Devils in Detail
- Sun Devils Primer: Game 2 vs Oklahoma State
- Sun Devil Insight: Quarterback Room
- Arizona State Spotlight: Kenny Dillingham
- Arizona State 2023 Season Opener: Off To A Good Start
- Arizona State vs USC Prediction and Promo (Expect Offensive Fireworks)
In addition to limiting mistakes, ASU will have its hands full with disrupting a Beavers offense that has managed over 100 fewer attacking errors than the Sun Devils.
ASU will need their blocking unit of Oluoma Okaro, Ivana Jeremic, Lexi MacLean and Jasmine Koonts to follow up their strong performances against Oregon well to alter the OSU offense.
“If we prepare well like we have been doing then I think this will be a good opportunity for us,” said junior middle blocker Oluoma Okaro.
Jeremic and MacLean returned from injuries against Oregon and the additional arms made a noticeable difference on both ends of the floor.
One player the Sun Devils will have to keep an eye for is junior outside hitter Mary-Kate Marshall. The Coppell, Texas native leads the Beavers with 198 kills and a .307 attacking percentage.
“It is important for every team in every conference to be good at home. For us, this [playing at home] is huge,” said Mussie.
Next: ASU Volleyball: Sun Devils Unable to Finish off No. 21 Oregon
Sunday’s match will be available on Pac-12 Arizona and will be ASU’s final game of a brief home stand before getting back on the road for their next four matches.