ASU freshman outside hitter Sarah Reaves has made the transition from high school to college volleyball about as well as a player can.
After coming back from her first collegiate injury to help the ASU volleyball team (13-11, 5-6 Pac-10) upset No. 19 Oregon last Friday in Eugene, Reaves and the Sun Devils are back home to take on Washington State tonight and No. 4 Washington Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena.
In her first year as a Sun Devil, Reaves has used her unique leaping ability and prowess on the attack to establish herself as one of the Pac-10's best outside hitters.
Reaves is fifth in the conference in kills, averaging 4.37 a game, and has scored more points than any other freshman in the Pac-10 this season.
"She's been a pleasant surprise. We knew she was going to be good, but I had no idea she would be this good so fast," ASU coach Brad Saindon said.
Reaves said she grew up in a family heavily involved in sports and learned early on she was gifted with natural athleticism when she began concentrating on track and field in elementary school.
After getting a taste of volleyball in junior high school, Reaves said the team aspect of volleyball drew her toward the sport.
"Track is so individual and I like how volleyball is such a team sport," Reaves said. "I'm not saying track is not fun but I had so much of it so I guess I have a different viewpoint."
Reaves has been called a supportive player by Saindon and her teammates because she believes getting your team pumped up and being positive is half of the game.
"If someone gets a kill why not scream as loud as you can?" Reaves said.
At Ironwood High School in Glendale, Ariz., Reaves was a standout in track and field as a sprinter and jumper and one of the state's top outside hitters, earning the 2006 Gatorade Arizona State High School Volleyball Player of the Year award as a senior.
Reaves' skills as a triple and high jumper seem to have carried over to the volleyball court as her ability to get up high when attacking the net has more than made up for her being undersized outside hitter.
Reaves stands 5 feet, 11 inches.
"She's just a great athlete, she jumps really well and has a great arm," Saindon said.
On Sept. 27, Reaves had a breakout game against the Ducks in their first meeting of the season at Wells Fargo Arena.
After dropping game one 30-23, the Sun Devils turned around and took game two with Reaves setting an ASU freshman record with 28 kills.
"That (game) was ridiculous, it was so intense and there was so much pressure on us, just coming back and winning that game was really exciting," Reaves said.
Three matches later, Reaves went down with an ankle injury in game two of the Sun Devils' loss to No. 8 Cal on Oct. 18, keeping her out of the next two matches.
"I wanted to play really bad, but it was best not playing injured," Reaves said.
Reaves returned just in time to help the Sun Devils upset the Ducks in four games last Friday with 18 kills and 14 digs.
Saindon said Reaves brings an "energy" to the court that everyone seems to be drawn to and feeds off of.
"To me, it's just fun coaching her," he said.
Sun Devils seeking another upset
In order to be eligible for the 2007 NCAA Volleyball Tournament, Saindon said ASU needs to finish with a record above .500.
"We have to win three out of our next seven games to qualify, which is do-able," Saindon said.
Saindon added ASU played well last time it faced WSU and UW in the Northwest and has continued to play well while getting in better health as a team.
Reaves and ASU junior outside hitter Kristin Trayser each returned to the lineup last week during the Sun Devils' sweep of the Oregon schools, and the pair now help round out a Sun Devil attack that has been shorthanded throughout the season.
"It's great to have some healthy bodies back," Saindon said. "We have a little depth (at outside hitter) and have a little competition at that position now."
WSU (9-15, 0-10 Pac-10) is still looking for its first conference win since losing to ASU in four games in Pullman, Wash. on Oct. 10.
Other than a few changes to their lineup, Saindon said the Cougars still do many things the same and it should be a win for the Sun Devils if they come out well on Thursday.
UW (20-1, 9-1 Pac-10) is a completely different story.
The Huskies nearly flawless season has further solidified them as one of the nation's volleyball powers.
Few have been able to handle UW senior outside hitters Christal Morrison and Stevie Mussie as each are among the top five in the conference in scoring.
Although the Huskies swept the Sun Devils on Oct. 4, Saindon said the Sun Devils have played well against UW in their last few meetings.
"We're playing well enough to beat anyone right now," Saindon said. "If we get some confidence going, I don't think anything is out of our reach."
Reach the reporter at: devin.hicks@asu.edu.
