The Arizona State Sun Devils are no joke.
12 straight wins. Nine in the Big 12. Coach JJ Van Niel has his squad rolling, and it's not just the wins that make this streak impressive. It’s who they’ve beaten along the way.
Big 12 Beast Mode
Colby Neal, the graduate middle blocker, summed it up: "A lot of teams have almost beaten us; it’s been super challenging, but I think it gives us a lot of confidence moving forward." Five of those nine Big 12 wins came against ranked teams. TCU was the latest victim, falling 3-1.
The Sun Devils have dropped just eight sets in this run. That’s dominance.
The Tough Road
This isn’t a cakewalk schedule. ASU has faced eight ranked teams, with their only losses to the heavyweights: now No. 2 Texas and No. 4 Pitt. But the back half of the schedule? Not as daunting. Aside from Colorado and BYU, no ranked teams in sight.
But Coach Van Niel isn’t letting his guard down. "My staff knows I don’t like talking ahead. We control what we can control," he said. You could feel it coming.
Eyes on the Prize
A perfect 9-0 at home, 25 straight Big 12 wins—this team knows how to handle business. Faith Frame, the sophomore libero, emphasizes the need to maintain energy. "Not starting high and then going low and then back up," she said.
Last year, ASU clinched their first Big 12 title and a win in the NCAA Tournament. But Neal is aiming higher: "Our goal is to treat every opponent the same. Every game could mean the conference."
This streak? Big time. The Sun Devils are out to prove they’re not just contenders—they're the real deal. And from there… it was over.
Source: statepress.com
