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Sun Devil Invitational This Weekend for #11 Sand Devils

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Sun Devil Invitational This Weekend for #11 Sand DevilsSun Devil Invitational This Weekend for #11 Sand Devils
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TEMPE – After starting the season 4-0, No. 11 Sun Devil Beach Volleyball is home on Friday and Saturday for the Sun Devil Invitational, hosting Colorado Mesa for the home opener on Friday and Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday.

The schedule at the Sun Devil Beach Volleyball Facility this weekend is as follows:
March 1
ASU vs. Colorado Mesa, 3 p.m.
TAMUK vs. Colorado Mesa, 5 p.m.
March 2
ASU vs. TAMUK, 10 a.m.
Colorado Mesa vs. Park, 12 p.m.
TAMUK vs. Park, 2 p.m.

Fan Information
Fans are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and umbrellas, but there is also seating that people can use at the facility. There is a clear bag policy and pets are not allowed. Parking is available to the south of the courts by the Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium.

For those not in attendance, there will be live scoring. There will not be a live stream.

Sun Devil Outlook
No. 11 Arizona State (4-0)
  • The Sand Devils started the season undefeated after beating all four teams at the Tampa Invitational last weekend. Under first-year Arizona State head coach Kristen Rohr, this is the best start to a season in program history.
  • Three of the teams ASU beat last weekend were ranked: No. 11 Florida Atlantic, No. 12 Georgia State and No. 17 South Carolina. The three ranked wins in a season is already tied for the highest number of ranked wins in a single season in ASU history.
  • In the AVCA Coaches Poll, the Sand Devils moved up from No. 18 to No. 11. This is the highest ranking the program has seen since 2017. The highest ASU has ever been ranked is No. 10 in 2017.
  • Rohr had a strong start to her time as the Sun Devil head coach. In addition to the records already broken, she reached career win 150. Her overall head coach record is now at 152-71.
  • One pair went undefeated over the weekend and that is the sophomore duo of Adriana Nieves Papaleo and Kendall Whitmarsh. They beat all four of their opponents at the No. 5 spot, winning three in three-sets and one in a sweep.
  • Four Sun Devils made their collegiate debuts over the weekend: junior Ava Kirunchyk, sophomore Arden Besecker and freshmen Ava Haughy and Ava Williamson. Besecker and Williamson played on court two all weekend, going 3-1 and clinching three duals. Haughy and Kirunchyk played at the No. 4 spot, going 2-2.
Opponent Outlook
Colorado Mesa (4-2)
  • The Mavericks are on a four-game winning streak, most recently winning two on Tuesday against Ottawa and Park. 
  • Arizona State has won all six meetings with Colorado Mesa. The two programs met last season in Tucson, with ASU winning 4-1.
Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-0)
  • The Javelinas went 4-0 over the weekend, hosting the Texas A&M-Kingsville Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Two of the wins were 5-0 sweeps and the other two were 4-1 victories.
  • ASU and TAMUK have met twice before, with the Sun Devils winning both. They last met in 2019, when the Sand Devils swept the Javelinas.