Volleyball looks to keep winning streak alive against Washington State and No. 4 Washington

October 31, 2006

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State Sun Devils (13-11 overall, 5-6 Pac-10) will return home this weekend to try and continue their two match winning streak as they host the Washington State Cougars and #4 Washington Huskies on November 1 and 2 in Tempe. The Sun Devils will kick off against the Cougars on Thursday, November 1 and then face the Huskies Friday, November 2, both at 7 p.m. in Tempe at ASU's Wells Fargo Arena.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Follow The Sun Devils Live!:<separator></separator>All of ASU's fans can also follow all of ASU's home matches, and most road matches, via the free statistical GameTracker at www.thesundevils.com. Also available for fans both near and far are video broadcasts of all home matches. For more information please<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Recapping Last Weekend:<separator></separator>Against Oregon State:<separator></separator>The Sun Devils came out strong against the Beavers, and never looked back as they swept OSU for the second time this season 3-0. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/giordano_margie00.html… Giordano</a> led the offense with 23 kills on the night with a phenomenal .524 attack percentage coupled with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/mercer_marina00.html">… Mercer's</a> 47 assists. The game also saw the return of <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/trayser_kristin00.html… Trayser</a> as well who came in for her first game in two years to grab eight kills in the sweep.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Against #16 Oregon:<separator></separator>The Sun Devils came into Friday night's match with the Ducks knowing what they faced and didn't let it phase them as they topped the Ducks 3-1 for an upset which saw <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/reaves_sarah00.html">S… Reaves</a> return from injury to pair up with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/giordano_margie00.html… Giordano</a> for 18 kills apiece. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/donahue_sydney00.html"… Donahue</a> held down the defense pulling in 27 digs on the night to keep the Sun Devils in it for the win.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Series History vs. the Washington State Cougars:<separator></separator>The series history against the Washington State Cougars now currently stands at 24-20 overall in favor of the Sun Devils. Earlier this season the Sun Devils swept the Cougars on the road in Pullman 30-21, 30-28 and 30-17 with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/reaves_sarah00.html">S… Reaves</a> leading the way with 19 kills. Last season, the Beavers were swept by ASU in Corvallis 3-0 and topped again by the Sun Devils at home 3-1.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Series History vs. the #4 Washington Huskies:<separator></separator>Against the Huskies the Sun Devils have an 18-29 series history against Washington. Earlier this season ASU hung tough with the then 8th-ranked Huskies where they pushed Washington to extra points in the first game, just falling 31-29. Though the Huskies emerged with the sweep, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/reaves_sarah00.html">S… Reaves</a> had still grabbed 16 kills followed up with <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/giordano_margie00.html… Giordano's</a> 13.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Quick Sets -- Release Highlights:<separator></separator>• Libero <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/donahue_sydney00.html"… Donahue</a> has recorded 10 or more digs in 93 of her 107 career matches, including a streak of 57 matches with 10 or more digs dating back to October 21, 2005 vs. USC.<separator></separator>• <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/donahue_sydney00.html"… Donahue</a> also currently holds the Pac-10 lead in digs and digs per game. After ten weeks Donahue has<separator></separator>492 digs for a 6.23 per-game average. She currently holds the Pac-10 single-game match high total as well with 45 against Virginia on August 25th.<separator></separator>• ASU has the current Pac-10 match high for kills with their 88 against Utah Valley. They also pulled in 98 digs in the Utah Valley face-off, second in Pac-10 match-highs.<separator></separator>• Sophomore, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/mercer_marina00.html">… Mercer</a> holds the season Pac-10 match-high for assists with her 73 against Utah Valley, she also holds second place in the category with her 72 assists against Oregon on September 27.<separator></separator>• Sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/mittelstaedt_paige00.h… Mittelstaedt</a> is tied for lead in the Pac-10 for solo blocks in a match with her four against Iowa State on September 1st. She is also tied for fifth in single-match kill total with her 26 against Utah Valley.<separator></separator>• Freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/reaves_sarah00.html">S… Reaves</a> is off to a stellar start to her rookie campaign as she leads the Sun Devils in kills with 341, good for a 4.37 per-game average, fi fth place in Pac-10 standings, and second in conference matches only. She is currently third in Pac-10 match highs for kills after her 28 against Oregon on September 27. Her 28 kills are not only a freshman match record, but an ASU match record, besting <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/escobar_juliana00.html… Escobar's</a> 27 against Oregon on October 18, 2002. In the Pac-10, Reaves is currently ranked fi fth in kills per game, with 45 more kills than the only other Freshman on the list, Stanford's Alix Klineman.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>NCAA-tionally Known:<separator></separator>The Sun Devils are currently racing up the NCAA ranks across the country. Most notably<separator></separator>are:<separator></separator>• <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/donahue_sydney00.html"… Donahue</a> is ranked NINTH in the nation in digs per game with a 6.23 average.<separator></separator>• Setter, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/mercer_marina00.html">… Mercer</a> is ranked 35th nationally with a 12.55 assists per game average.<separator></separator>• Freshman, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/reaves_sarah00.html">S… Reaves</a> is ranked 70th nationally in kills per game with a 4.37 average.<separator></separator>Brains and Brawn These Girls Have It All:<separator></separator>The Sun Devil Volleyball team has proven year after year that they are some of the best on the court and also in the classroom. ASU holds the proud title of MOST Pac-10 All-Academic selections in history with 40 over every other Pac-10 school. They also have a ten-year streak of at least one honor on the Pac-10 All-Academic team.<separator></separator>Leading the list last year were <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/meek_colette00.html">C… Meek</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/mercer_marina00.html">… Mercer</a>, who both were named to the first-team and Rachel Mittlestaedt who was named to the second team. Four other Sun Devils received honorable mentions as well.<separator></separator> <separator></separator>Digging Her Way To The Top:<separator></separator>Senior libero <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-volley/mtt/donahue_sydney00.html"… Donahue</a> is on pace to place her name all over not only ASU and Pac-10 record books (which she already has), but the NCAA ones as well. The senior currently has the single-season ASU and Pac-10 digs record and this season has already broken the career Pac-10 digs record, while inching up the NCAA records as well. Her current total of 2,237 puts her 11th all-time in NCAA history and only nine digs from taking 10th place. Last season alone, Donahue had 742 digs as well as tying an all-time NCAA record of 50 digs in a match, which she did in three games against LMU on August 26, 2006.