ASU Volleyball, after going 10-2 in non-conference play, dropped their first two Pac-12 matches versus Arizona and No.7 Washington.
ASU lost both of its first two conference games to Arizona and Washington, respectively. The Sun Devils were swept by the Wildcats, and they took two sets from the Huskies despite the loss.
After opening conference play in losing fashion, the Devils showed signs of what to expect this year in the Pac-12, which had eight teams in the NCAA Tournament last season.
Dobmeier should get more playing time
In the first two conference matches, ASU started Nicole Peterson at setter for both of the games, and the Sun Devils only played Shelbie Dobmeier for the second set of the Arizona game.
Peterson recorded a total of 78 assists in the two matches, but I am not sure she is more valuable to the team down the stretch. The other setter, freshman Shelbie Dobmeier, leads the Pac-12 in assists per set with 11.62.
Dobmeier is not only better on the stat sheet, but she also is much more athletic than Peterson. She is better at defense, and she commits less unforced errors than Peterson. In most of the team’s wins, Dobmeier has started, so ASU should re-insert her into the lineup.
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When Okaro plays well, the team plays well
To this point, Oluoma Okaro has been one of ASU’s most valuable players, as she leads the team in kills with 235 and service aces with 15. Okaro was once again a force in Sunday’s five-set loss to Washington, recording 30 kills, which tied the school-record for kills in a game.
Something that I have noticed is that a lot of the team’s play is determined by how Okaro plays individually.
Okaro struggled in the conference opener against U of A, hitting for a percentage of .000 and accumulating seven errors. This performance was an indicator of how the team played as ASU was swept by an unranked Arizona team.
However, Okaro played remarkably today in the loss against Washington, as I mentioned earlier. While the team still lost, it was a respectable loss, and the team played well against a highly-ranked opponent.
Despite an 0-2 start, the Devils will win more conference games than expected
The Sun Devils did not start Pac-12 play the way they wanted to, losing both of their first two games, but it is not time to panic for the young team.
The Arizona game was far from pretty, but today’s game against UW showed that the team has a high ceiling and the potential to win more games than the team did last year.
Next: ASU Volleyball: Sun Devils fall to #7 Washington in second Pac-12 match
ASU will have trouble with the powerhouses such as Stanford, Washington and Oregon, but after watching the team today and how it played together, I think the Sun Devils can win eight or more games in Pac-12 play and pull off some upsets.