The No. 14 Arizona volleyball program will gear up for its final week of the regular season with only two games left. The Wildcats will host the USC Trojans at home in McKale Center on Wednesday before traveling to Tempe to face rival No. 22 ASU at Wells Fargo Arena.
Arizona is ranked 13th in the NCAA RPI and hopes to improve its resume with victories over both schools in order to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. If the UA is selected to host, it will be its first time since 2002.
Following its matches over the weekend, Arizona is now tied with Oregon for third place in the Pac-12 Conference with a record of 22-8 overall and 11-7 in the Pac-12. The UA’s 22 victories are the most since 2005, and their 11 Pac-12 wins are the most since 2011.
Against USC, the Wildcats will be hosting senior night in what will be seniors Taylor Arizobal, Madi Kingdon, Ronni Lewis, Rachel Rhoades and Kennedy Wesley’s final regular season match in McKale Center.
Kingdon has been Arizona’s leader for four years and has been dynamic for the Wildcats this season. She even has two matches with 20+ kills and 30+ digs, the only two in UA history.
The Trojans (14-14, 7-11 Pac-12) have dropped four consecutive matches, but are one of the toughest serving teams in the nation. USC averages 1.44 aces per set and is led by outside hitter Samantha Bricio, who ranks second in the country with .75 aces per set and averages 4.18 kills per set.
In the all-time series, USC owns the Wildcats with a 57-18 advantage.
Against ASU, the UA is hoping for its first sweep of the series since 2010. The Sun Devils (18-12, 8-10 Pac-12) had similar success against both Washington schools, being swept by Washington before defeating Washington State in five sets. ASU has won just two of its last seven matches.
ASU outside hitter Macey Gardner has 1,608 career kills, which is No. 4 in school history, and averages 4.30 kills per set, which is fifth in the Pac-12.
In the all-time series, Arizona leads over ASU 44-21, including a five-set victory back in September that went the Wildcats’ way (21-25, 25-22, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13).
These last two matches are some of the most important that Arizona has had so far this season. Both matches will begin at 6 p.m. MST.
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