NAU, Texas State and Gonzaga all roll into town for the annual tournament, with action kicking off at 11 a.m. Friday morning when the Sun Devils take on NAU.
The Lumberjacks roll into Tempe after a successful weekend last week, upsetting No. 8 Florida in a thrilling 3-2 win. NAU took the first set of the match, but the Gators battled to a decisive fifth match, which the Lumberjacks took by a final of 15-13. Three Lumberjacks notched double-digit kills on the night, including Holly Carlton with 19 and Thayer Hall and Rachael Kramer with 17 each.
Texas State also faced a top-25 opponent last week in No. 16 Kentucky, but didn't come out on top in the matchup, dropping the match in San Marcos 3-1. The Bobcats traveled to San Antonio for a quick midweek game against UTSA on Tuesday, making quick work of the Roadrunners while sweeping them in straight sets, 3-0.
Gonzaga has had some experience with the Pac-12 so far this season, as they opened the season with an 0-5 start, including two loses to Pac-12 foe No. 11 UCLA and one to Utah. The Bulldogs also met with California at the Les Schwab West Coast Challenge last week, with Gonzaga taking the match 3-1. The Bulldogs swept the challenge with wins over Cal, Fresno State and Portland to bring their record to 3-5 on the season.
Last week, ASU finished up their non-conference road schedule at the UNIWYO Invite in Laramie. The Sun Devils finished the weekend with a 2-1 record, gliding past Murray State and Binghamton. Juniors Ivana Jeremic and Courtney Leffel were named to their third-straight All-Tournament teams for their efforts on the weekend. Jeremic notched a career-high 26 kills on the weekend while Leffel notched a career-high 20 digs in the same match.
See below for a full tournament schedule:
Fri. 9/14
11AM NAU vs. ASU
2PM Gonzaga vs. Texas State
7PM Gonzaga vs. ASU
Sat. 9/15
9:30AM Texas State vs. NAU
2:30PM NAU vs. Gonzaga
7PM Texas State vs. ASU
Fuimos a Puerto Rico
The Sun Devils traveled to Puerto Rico for the third annual Puerto Rico Clasico in San Juan.
ASU finished with a 2-1 record, notching wins over Xavier and Towson while falling to Missouri. The team was led by libero Courtney Leffel and outside hitter Ivana Jeremic, who were both voted to the All-Tournament team.
Jeremic finished the weekend with 32 kills while Leffel contributed 43 digs. ASU made quick work of Towson to kick off the Clásico, sweeping the Tigers in three sets. The Sun Devils split their double-header on Saturday, defeating Xavier 3-1 while falling to Missouri 3-1 later that evening.
Dig 1, Set 6, Attack 21
The threesome of Courtney Leffel, Nicole Peterson and Ivana Jeremic have been on fire for the Sun Devils to begin the 2018 campaign.
Leffel ranks third in the Pac-12 in digs, notching 133 through nine matches. The junior libero is a leader and difference maker on the squad, as she was voted to all three All-Tournament teams thus far (Sun Devil Classic, Puerto Rico Clasico, UNIWYO Invite).
Team Captain Peterson has been a steady contributer to the team as well, placing 10th in the Pac-12 in assists (10th).
Jeremic's swings have been crucial for the Sun Devils, placing in the top-10 in the conference in kills (7th), points (7th). Her career-high 26 kills against Wyoming were tied for most by a Pac-12 player in a four set match.
Beedie's Break Out
Megan Beedie has been a break out star for ASU this season. The sophomore has racked up 60 kills in 28 sets thus far, hitting .409, good for fifth in the Pac-12. Beedie also has a team-high 10 service aces and is second on the squad in blocks with 17.
Beedie was named the Tournament MVP for her efforts in the Sun Devil Classic, notching 28 kills on the weekend, including a career-high 12 in the match against Pacific.
Second-Straight Sun Devil Classic Title
For a second consecutive season, the Maroon and Gold lifted their season with a 3-0 sweep of the Sun Devil Classic. Within the friendly confines of Wells Fargo Arena, ASU took on UT Arlington, NM State and Pacific. Ivana Jeremic and Megan Beedie led the Sun Devils' offensive charge, with Jeremic notching career-highs in Kills (24) and Digs (18) and Beedie notching a career-high 10 kills as well.
Familiar Faces
The Sun Devils return 10 letterwinners to the roster in 2018 including Courtney Leffel, Peyton Grahovac, Carmen Unzue, Nicole Peterson, Shelbie Dobmeier, Danica Krstonosic, Halle Johnson, Megan Beedie, Ivana Jeremic and Callie Jones.
Moreno Elevated to Associate Head Coach
Head coach Sanja Tomasevic announced the promotion of Carlos Moreno to associate head coach on July 15.
"Carlos has played an integral role in our program's development on a competitive, personnel and cultural basis," said Tomasevic. "His exceptional knowledge of the sport, capacity to mentor and teach, and ultimately steadfast commitment to Sun Devil volleyball has proven invaluable. I am elated to reward Carlos' tremendous efforts with this well-deserved promotion."
Moreno enters his second season with the Sun Devil program, notably having served a brief stint as interim head coach in the latter part of the 2017 season.
Championship Pedigree
Arizona State's coaching staff - Sanja Tomasevic (head coach), Carlos Moreno (assistant coach), Macey Gardner (assistant coach), and Kyle Breitbarth (volunteer assistant coach) - boasts an impressive, collective playing resume.
Head coach Sanja Tomasevic, was a two-time All-American and the 2005 Asics and CVU.com National Player of the Year at the University of Washington, and led the Huskies to four NCAA tournament appearances, including the 2005 National Championship, and a pair of Pac-10 Conference titles. In October of 2016, Tomasevic became just the second individual volleyball player to be inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame. The former outside hitter ended her collegiate career as Washington's all-time leader in points (2,159.5), kills (1,795) and service aces (156). She is one of only five players in Huskies history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.
Assistant Carlos Moreno compiled a prolific playing career as a setter at Brigham Young University, garnering essentially every national award possible, including AVCA and MPSF Player of the year honors. A three-year starter for the Cougars, Moreno amassed 4,628 career assists, marking the second-most in program in history, while adding 78 career aces (4th-most in program history). Spearheading BYU NCAA Championship runs in 2003 and 2004, Moreno earned a plethora of Player of the Year and MVP honors while also being placed on MSPF's and AVCA's respective first-teams. A two-time All-American and the 2004 AVCA National Player of the Year, Moreno led the Cougars to two NCAA tournament appearances, including the 2004 National Championship, and a pair of MPSF Conference titles.
Assistant Macey Gardner is widely considered as one of the greatest to ever don the Arizona State maroon and gold, and concluded her collegiate career as Arizona State's all-time kills leader with 1,882 to her credit. Arizona State's second ever three-time All-Pac-12 honoree, she was just the 17th Sun Devil to record 1,000 career digs, and just the 10th to record 1,000 or more kills and digs in her career.
Sun Devil volunteer assistant Kyle Breitbarth competed as a member of the University of Illinois men's club volleyball team from 2010-16. Boasting an impressice collegiate career donning the Illini blue and orange, he was a member of the 2013 NCVF University of Illinois national championship team, while helping propel the squad to a Big Ten championship and program-best 71-11 record in 2016.