Emotions will run high this weekend as the ASU volleyball team (12-15, 3-11 Pac-10) hosts its final two games of the season against Oregon State and No. 8 Oregon.
Seniors Margie Giordano and Kristin Trayser will play their final home games at Wells Fargo Arena on Tempe campus.
“I think Friday and Saturday are definite challenges for us. There will be a lot of emotions going through the players heads,” ASU coach Jason Watson said. “It’s a bittersweet situation.”
In September, Giordano became the ASU’s eighth player all-time player to rack up 1,000 digs and 1,000 kills.
Trayser has filled in for injured junior outside hitter Paige Mittelstaedt, holding the starting spot throughout the season.
“Both these girls are very mature,” Watson said. “I have been overwhelmed by the support they have shown me. They have both embraced their roles and have helped show a glimpse of what this program is going to become.”
The departing seniors and their teammates will counter OSU (14-13, 3-11 Pac-10) on Friday before taking on UO (21-6, 9-5 Pac-10) on Saturday.
ASU had been particularly good against the Oregon schools, leading both all team series’ for a combined 66-24 record.
“The history is important but it really doesn’t effect the teams this year,” Watson said. “Our team knows what it needs to go in there and do.”
Despite languishing in ninth place in the Pac-10 Conference, ASU sees itself as in the hunt for an NCAA tournament bid. The Sun Devils must win all four of their remaining games to reach .500 (15-15), which is necessary to qualify for the tournament.
“We are approaching this weekend as a challenge to the team,” Watson said. “We need to win four out of four games so lets see what we can do.”
Reach the reporter at ryan.campbell@asu.edu.
