TEMPE, Ariz.—The Arizona State beach volleyball team (7-7) returns to the road this weekend for four dual matches as part of the Stanford Tournament, hosted by the Cardinal at the Stanford Sand Volleyball Stadium.
On Saturday, the Sand Devils take on Oregon and Stanford at Noon and 3 p.m. PT, respectively, and on Sunday ASU faces Boise State and California at 8:30 a.m. PT and 2:30 p.m. PT, respectively.
ABOUT OREGON
The Ducks (1-2) opened the 2016 season, their third, in Portland last week. Oregon dropped a 3-2 match to Stanford and a 4-1 match to Boise State before defeating Portland, 5-0.
This weekend marks the first-ever beach volleyball matchup between Oregon and ASU.
ABOUT STANFORD
The Cardinal (4-5) opened their first season of beach volleyball in 2016, headed by long-time indoor assistant Denise Corlett. Last weekend Stanford dropped a 3-2 match at home to conference rival California. Prior to the match against the Sun Devils, Stanford will take on Boise State on Saturday at Noon PT.
This weekend marks the first-ever beach volleyball matchup between Stanford and ASU.
ABOUT BOISE STATE
At 3-0 on the year, the Broncos return to the road for the second straight week. In its season opener, Boise State defeated Portland (4-1), Oregon (4-1), and Stanford (3-2) as part of the Oregon Tournament in Portland.
This marks the third meeting on the sand between ASU and Boise State. The Sand Devils are 2-0 all-time, last season posted a 3-2 victory at the PERA Club.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA
The No. 16-ranked Bears (10-7) picked up a 3-2 victory on the road at Stanford last week. Cal will play five dual matches over three days this upcoming weekend, taking on Oregon on both Friday and Saturday, along with Saint Mary’s, Boise State, and the Sand Devils.
This marks the second beach volleyball matchup between Cal and ASU. Last season, ASU posted a 4-1 victory over the Bears as part of the Pac-12 Tournament, hosted by USC.
UP NEXT
The Sand Devils remain on the road next week, traveling to Tucson on Thursday, April 14, for a match against Pac-12 rival Arizona. The dual is slated for a 3 p.m. PT start and will air on the Pac-12 Networks.
LAST TIME OUT
The Sand Devils were in Hawaii last week, competing in a pairs tournament and pair of dual matches as part of the Outrigger Beach Volleyball Challenge. ASU dropped a pair of 5-0 decisions to then-No. 4 Hawaii and No. 5 UCLA.
FOLLETTE NEARING 30 WINS
A junior on the beach, Whitney Follette has 29 wins in her two-and-change seasons with the Sand Devils, the most in the history of the young program. This upcoming weekend of action will likely make her the first to reach the 30-win milestone in the history of the program.
Her 2016 pairs teammate, junior Bianca Arellano sits at No. 2 all-time with 27 career victories. The duo has paired for a team-high nine wins so far this season.
THE 2016 HOME SLATE
The Sand Devils host three more matches at home at the PERA Club this season. On Saturday, April 16, ASU hosts a doubleheader against San Diego State and Grossmont College at 8:30 a.m. PT and 1 p.m. PT, respectively.
Senior Night and the home finale is slated for Wednesday, April 20, against Pac-12 rival Arizona at 5 p.m. PT.
THE 2016 PAC-12 BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The inaugural Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Championships is slated for April 28 to May 1 in Los Angeles, Calif., hosted by USC at the Merle Norman Stadium. The matches are slated to air on the Pac-12 Networks.
Beach volleyball is the Pac-12 Conference’s 23rd sponsored sport.
ABOUT BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Beach volleyball is contested with five pairings in the best of three sets, which are played to 21 points. The tiebreaker third set is played to 15.
The team win goes to the squad that secures three of the five wins throughout the match.
THE PERA CLUB
PERA, which stands for Project Employees Recreation Association is a private club for the employees and families of the Salt River Project, located at 1 E. Continental Drive.
The 83-acre club houses a social center, employee store, fitness center, swimming pool, game courts, and fields and offers children's programs, fitness classes, business meetings, sports leagues, and parties.