The incoming depth of the 2015 ASU volleyball squad was featured prominently during Saturday’s Maroon and Gold volleyball game.
“We do have some depth that makes me optimistic that we can be good for long stretches of time,” head coach Jason Watson said.
Junior outside hitter Cassidy Pickrell grabbed the spotlight.
A transfer student from UC Irvine, Pickrell was one of the prominent attackers for her team. Despite being one of the newest members of ASU, she was confident calling for the ball.
She delivered hard hits. It did not escape the notice of junior libero Mia Mazon. During the first game, Mazon switched teams, allowing her to see Pickrell’s hits from both ends of the court.
“She was banging some balls my way," Mazon said. "Some of them were hard to return."
Pickrell helps spread the floor. Her presence allows junior outside hitter BreElle Bailey to stay on the right side of the offense. Additionally, senior outside hitter Macey Gardner did not control the offense to the extent that she had last season when she was the face of ASU’s offense.
“We have so many good hitters that it almost relieves the pressure off of some people that have been key point-scorers in the past,”Gardner said. “We’ve got Cassidy Pickrell, and (BreElle Bailey) is putting down a good ball, we’ve got Kizzy (Ricedorff), Andi (Lowrance), Lexi (MacLean)… they’re all hitting really well.”
Four blocks in a row for maroon and Kizzy's excited. "BLOCK PARTY!" she yells
— Logan Newman (@Logan_Newsman) August 22, 2015
MacLean, setter Kylie Pickrell and middle blocker Jasmine Koonts headline the freshman class that was ranked 20th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com in its May update.
Pickrell presents a unique opportunity for ASU. At practice on Tuesday, she said that the coaches have been considering working with a 6-2 offense. That would allow her and senior setter Bianca Arellano to man the floor together.
At Tuesday’s practice, Watson said he had briefly looked into it but it is “too soon to tell.” After Saturday’s game, he was hesitant to say that she was college-ready, but that her high school experience on one of the premiere teams in Texas helps her catch up to the pace of college.
Jasmine Koonts has created a battle at middle blocker. Watson said that senior Whitney Follette stands out at that position, but he was pleased with how Koonts played.
She attacked the ball well. She had a couple hard kills and showed technique with softer lobs over defenders’ hands. Watson said that her athletic ability was never in question, but she’s improved in other aspects of her game in a short period of time.
“Getting her to see and respond to the game at the speed in which she needs to, I think that’s the area that she’s greatly improved upon,” Watson said. “She’s watching and responding."
Senior middle blocker Mercedes Binns was granted eligibility late last season to come back as a fifth-year athlete, but Koonts will allow the team to switch lineups more.
“That’s a really healthy group of three in the middle and that’s exciting,” Watson said.
With only one contributor from 2014 graduating, ASU will look to start the season strong. Pickrell said she can see the team getting into the Final Four, but Watson contained his hopes.
“I really just like where we’re at,” Watson said. “(I’m) cautiously optimistic at this stage.”
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow @Logan_Newsman on Twitter.
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