Arizona beach volleyball traveled to Seattle to play Washington this past Friday, securing a pair of victories against the Huskies. The Wildcats are now 13-4 and sit at No. 14 in the AVCA polls at the halfway point of the season. Here are some standout players and key stats as the Sand Cats push for the postseason:
0-4 vs. top 20 teams
Despite a breakout season from several core players this year, Arizona has been unable to add a quality win to its resume. Losses to No. 2 USC (5-0), No. 3 Florida State (4-1), No. 10 Stetson (3-2) and then-No. 17 Stanford (3-2) have been the reason for the ‘Cats’ inability to climb the polls. They will have one more opportunity this season to make a statement against a top team when they travel to Tempe next weekend to play No. 7 Cal Poly in the ASU Tournament.
Natalie Anselmo and Madison Rigdon
After both players found themselves being shuffled around in the lineup, it seems like junior Natalie Anselmo and senior Madison Rigdon have finally found a groove together. The duo is now 9-0 since being paired up two weeks ago in the Arizona Invitational, with four of those wins as the No. 2 pair.
The Progression of the Freshmen
The ‘Cats have arguably never had a more impactful and experienced freshman class than the class of 2022. Jasmine Safar and Sarah Blacker have gone 14-3 together this season, while Dana Parker is having one of the more underrated seasons on the team as she builds chemistry with senior Anise Havili. The duo has a record of 13-4 this season as the No. 5 pair on the team.
The Sand Cats travel to Tempe for the ASU Tournament this weekend, taking on Abilene Christian and Cal Poly Saturday before facing Utah twice on Sunday.
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