In the words of ASU volleyball coach Brad Saindon, this is as big as it gets.
Tonight marks the only match of the year when intrastate rival UA comes to Tempe to face the Sun Devils at Wells Fargo Arena. The Wildcats head into the match with a 16-9 overall record and are looking to improve their postseason chances with a victory.
ASU is 10-14 on the year but has won two of its last three matches. Both schools split last weekend, each defeating Washington State and losing to Washington.
However, when these two teams get together, records can be tossed out the window. There is no need to look any further than last season. When UA came to play ASU in Tempe, the Wildcats were ranked No. 22 in the country. However, they left with a five-set loss. The year before, the Wildcats were ranked No. 12 in the nation but left with a three-game loss.
"It's got to be on their minds that we've beat them two years in a row here," Saindon said.
The Sun Devils are looking to do more of the same this time, as well as avenge a loss to the Wildcats in Tucson earlier this season. In that match, ASU was swept in three games by UA, even though All-American Kim Glass only played in the third game for the Wildcats.
With the ease of that win, Saindon believes the Wildcats might be overlooking ASU this week and would welcome it if that were the case.
"I sure hope they're overlooking us," he said. "They have the last two years."
However, ASU is in a much better frame of mind now than it was earlier in the year, particularly during that stretch. The loss to the Wildcats was the second loss to an Arizona school in four days -- ASU lost to Northern Arizona the Tuesday before -- and was near the start of a prolonged losing streak. Now, ASU feels as though it has righted the ship.
"We're a lot more comfortable now," Saindon said.
In fact, with its win over Washington State on Saturday, the Sun Devils surpassed last season's overall and conference win totals. Any other victories this season would add to the margin.
Add to the fact that the Sun Devils are fighting with Oregon State for seventh place in the Pac-10, and they seem to have a lot left for which to play. At least one win in their last three matches would greatly help ASU move past the Beavers in the standings. The teams are currently on track to finish with identical conference records.
UA started the year slowly but has improved its play of late, jumping to one game over the .500 mark in the Pac-10. The Wildcats are currently sixth in the Pac-10.
The match against the Wildcats will most likely be the largest crowd of the year. Last season, more than 3,000 fans showed up to watch a thriller, in which the Sun Devils rallied from two sets down for the victory.
"The crowd made a huge impact last year," Saindon said.
The match begins at 7 p.m.
Reach the reporter at kyle.odegard@asu.edu.
