West Valley prep stars raise level of ASU

After its first NCAA tournament appearance in five years in 2006, the Arizona State volleyball team hopes to continue the trend this season with a squad deep in talent and heavy with expectations.

The program, which improved from No. 152 to No. 30 in RPI, hopes its new-found success is contagious. It will need that edge and more because the Pac-10 is the premier volleyball conference in the country.

“That’s the biggest leap any program has ever made, but it’s not in our grand plan to be the 30th best volleyball team in the country,” ASU coach Brad Saindon said.

Saindon compared the climb up the leaderboard to a climb up Mt. Everest — a grueling task that gets harder the closer you get to the top. But instead of winds and snow getting in the way, it’s the likes of UCLA and Stanford.

“We know what we can do and we’re going to dictate how we’re going to finish this season,” said setter and Chandler High graduate Marina Mercer. “We’re all on the same page and need to start chipping away at that top 30.”

Joining Mercer among the talented returners are Margie Giordano and Sydney Donahue. Giordano, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Glendale Mountain Ridge, was originally thought to be too small to play in the Pac-10 but has defied expectations and turned into a top attacker following a prep career that ended with a state championship her senior year. Donahue has made her presence felt as one of the country’s best liberos and is on pace to set the Pac-10’s all-time record for digs.

“It’s not exactly Barry Bonds, but it is definitely something special,” Saindon said.

The Sun Devils open the season tonight against UNLV in the UNLV Classic, the first of four pre-Pac-10 tournaments for ASU.

The opening match will also be the first start for Sarah Reeves, one of seven freshmen on the team and a standout hitter who is expected to make an immediate impact on a roster of 18, the largest Saindon has coached. Reaves, a 2007 Ironwood High School graduate, was twice named region player of the year during her prep career leading the Eagles to a berth in the 5A Div-II state championship match her senior year. The outside hitter teams with Giordano after the two went head to head in high school. As a sophomore Reaves Eagles saw their season come to a hand at the hands of Giordano's Mountain Lions.

Saindon has high hopes for the early schedule and hopes to post a 13-0 record before starting Pac-10 play on Sept. 20 against USC.

“I don’t think it’s going to be easy, but I think it’s an obtainable goal,” Saindon said.

2007 ASU volleyball schedule

UNLV Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.) Today at UNLV, Las Vegas, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday vs. Virginia, Las Vegas, 10 a.m. vs. Texas Tech, Las Vegas, 4:30 p.m.

Hilton Phoenix/East Mesa Challenge Aug. 31 vs. Long Island, Wells Fargo Arena, noon vs. New Mexico, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Sept. 1 vs. Iowa St., Wells Fargo Arena, 1 p.m. Sept. 2 vs. NAU, Wells Fargo Arena, noon UVSC Invitational (Orem, Utah) Sept. 7 vs. San Jose State, Orem, Utah, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 8 vs. Weber State, Orem, Utah, 1:30 p.m. at Utah Valley State, Orem, Utah, 6 p.m. Crowne Plaza Phoenix Airport Classic Sept. 13 vs. Fla. A&M, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Sept. 14 vs. Tulane, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Sept. 15 vs. VCU, Wells Fargo Arena, 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at USC, Los Angeles, 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at UCLA, Los Angeles, 7 p.m. Sept. 27 vs. Oregon, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Sept. 28 vs. Ore. St., Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at Washington, Seattle, 7 p.m. Oct. 5 at Wash. St., Pullman, Wash., 7 p.m. Oct. 12 vs. Arizona, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Oct. 18 vs. Cal, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Oct. 19 vs. Stanford, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Oregon State, Corvallis, Ore., 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Oregon, Eugene, Ore., 7 p.m. Nov. 1 vs. Wash. St., Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Nov. 2 vs. Washington, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at Arizona, Tucson, 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at Stanford, Palo Alto, Calif., 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at Cal, Berkeley, Calif., 8 p.m. Nov. 23 vs. UCLA, Wells Fargo Arena, 7 p.m.