The ASU volleyball team (5-2) returns home this weekend to host the Sheraton Invitational.
After a successful road tournament last weekend in Portland, Ore., the Sun Devils will welcome three quality teams to the Wells Fargo Arena beginning Friday.
The participants include Cal State Northridge, Montana, and Cincinnati, each of which entered the tournament with winning records.
ASU coach Jason Watson said he believes his team’s success and experience from last weekend will help his team going forward.
“We are starting to understand the demands of being a competitive team,” Watson said.
Last weekend, the Sun Devils traveled north to play in the Portland Nike Invitational. The team finished the weekend with a 3-1 record and key wins over UC Irvine and the previously unbeaten South Florida.
Watson has focused a majority of this week’s practice time on increasing offensive production, and getting the ball to the middle hitters more often.
“We want to continue to upgrade our offensive system,” Watson said.
He wants to see the ball set up for junior outside hitter Paige Mittelstaedt as often as possible. Mittelstaedt had a spectacular tournament in Portland last weekend, tallying 14 kills and 11 blocks to rally the team to a victory against UC Irvine.
However, the offense will likely continue to rely on the stellar performances of outside hitter Sarah Reaves.
The sophomore has been on offensive juggernaut so far this season, amassing 102 kills in seven matches.
“Sarah has embraced competition,” Watson said. “She is beginning to find an identity for herself.
Reaves was an All Pacific-10 Conference Honorable Mention last year.
“My goal is to make the all-conference team this year,” Reaves said.
Reaves said her most important goal is to help the team make the NCAA Championship tournament.
Reaves said she believes this team has the right mindset and the right chemistry to make a run at a tournament bid.
If ASU is to advance as a team, it’s Reaves who needs to continue to lead the way.
Reaves said she believes she has been successful this season because of the new expectations from Watson and her teammates.
“Last year as a freshman, I wasn’t expected to do anything,” Reaves said. “ But this year, there is a lot expected out of me from myself and my teammates.”
Reach this reporter at ryan.campbell@asu.edu.
