Most Arizona fans will have to wait two more weeks to see the 2024 version of Wildcats volleyball. The annual Red-Blue game was played without an audience this year due to construction on the court at the McKale Center. Those who were able to attend saw a team with several impressive freshmen lead the Red team to a 3-1 victory (25-23, 27-25, 25-23, 21-25) over the Blue team.
The game was played in a modified format. The teams were able to complete four sets, although the red team won the first three sets.
In the first two sets, the red team consisted of newcomers Avery Scoggins as setter, newbie Carlie CisnerosSecond year student Sydney Vanekand freshmen To the Hamer at the pins, senior transfer Kiari Robey and newbie Adrianna Bridges in the middle and senior Wray Harbour as libero. Senior Ava Tortorello was a defensive specialist and the only substitute.
The blue team was Junior Anna Lena Heath as setter, junior Jordan Wilsonfifth year Jaelyn Hodgeand senior transfer Amanda DeWitt at the pins, Senior Alayna Johnson and in the second year of study Travel Tucker in the middle, and newcomer Brenna Ginder as libero. Second year student Giorgia Mandotti was the substitute player who specialized in defense.
The red team was ready to go at the final whistle. They built a big lead, but the blue team narrowed it down and eventually took a one-point lead towards the end of the set. Red calmed down again. Robey tied it at 22-22, then two aces from Vanek gave the red team set points. DeWitt saved a set point, but red finished the set 25-23.
The second set was close throughout. In the first set there were only four ties and three lead changes, and most of them happened very early. In the second set there were twelve ties and four lead changes. The red team pulled themselves together at the end of the set and took a 2-0 lead.
At halftime, the two teams switched setters, with Heath taking over for the red team and Scoggins for the blue team. The set was even closer than the previous two, with 15 ties and eight lead changes, but the red team won its third set in a row.
While the setter wasn’t the deciding factor, the switch allowed Stubbs to see what she needed to see.
“In most cases (the switching of setters) it was just a matter of me getting a picture of both of them with different groups of people and then competing with the other people,” Stubbs said.
What did she see in particular from Scoggins?
“I saw exactly what I expected from her,” Stubbs said. “She’s more of a player than an athlete… In the game, she’s trying to win and compete all the time. So she did exactly what I expected.”
In the fourth and final set, there was another change in the lineup. This time, the liberos switched teams. Ginder went to the red team and Wray moved to the blue team. The blue team won its only set, but Ginder got the experience Stubbs needed for them.
“I saw that she was stable, and that’s what I thought about her the whole time,” Stubbs said. “She just knows how to play. She knows the position. She’s been doing this for a long time. She doesn’t let it bother her and she still got her serve perfect. She got hit a little bit on the serve reception, which is a little bit of communication or something. I just expect her to go up.”
Gaining experience for their new recruits was the most important part of the day. Star recruit Cisneros was of particular interest to everyone.
Cisneros was quietly effective. Watching the game live, you could see she was making an impact, but it wasn’t particularly noticeable. The true depth of her impact didn’t become clear until the game was over and the stats came in.
Cisneros had a double-double. Although the stats for the game were incomplete in the final set, Cisneros finished the game with at least 19 kills on a .318 batting average. She had 10 digs. She received the ball 18 times with only one receiving error. She also had three assists. Her 19.5 points were third-best on the team behind Wilson’s 29 and Vanek’s 24.
Stubbs said she needs to get DeWitt some playtime to create depth on the right side. Hodge will play on the other side in the regular season, but the foot problem that limited her at times last season could force Stubbs to rest her in some games this season. DeWitt and freshman den Hamer are the other options at that position.
DeWitt is excited to see what she can do in her final year of college volleyball at the Power 4 level, and she already feels like Stubbs is pushing her to improve her mental game.
“This program really challenges me,” DeWitt said. “I think all the girls are kind of in the same boat, but it really pushes you to use your brain and use your volleyball IQ, which is something I’ve never experienced before. I mean, I spent three years at my last school, so to be here and be pushed to actually think about the reason why you’re doing things instead of just doing them… It’s the mental side of the actual why you’re doing things. So it’s been pretty cool. Definitely a different style of coaching than anything I’ve ever experienced before.”
The freshmen did well, but the star of the game was Wilson. The Big 12 coaches didn’t include her on the preseason all-conference team, even though she’s Arizona’s best returner in both kills per set and points per set. If Saturday afternoon was any indication, that was a big mistake by the coaches.
Wilson finished the day with at least 24 kills on 45 shots. She made five errors, giving her a .422 hitting percentage. She had two aces on her serve and, most importantly, she was solid on her serve and reception.
Last year, opponents often targeted Wilson when serving Arizona because of her inconsistent passing, preventing her from playing in the back row. In her first appearance in 2024, she was targeted at least 32 times without committing a receiving error. Her ground defense was also strong, finishing the game with at least 10 digs, earning her a double-double. She provided two block assists.
Vanek wasn’t far behind, although Stubbs said they still need more consistency from her. The sophomore had 17 kills on a .314 batting average. She added five aces, eight digs and three total blocks (one solo). She received her serve with an error at least 10 times.
“She has moments where she looks like the best and then the next moment she collapses,” Stubbs said. “So for her, it’s about being consistent in all areas.”
The blocking game was solid for all of Arizona’s big players. The red team had nine total blocks, while the blue team had seven. All four of the Wildcats’ middle blockers assisted on three blocks each. Bridges — the only freshman in the quartet of middle blockers — also had two solo blocks. Heath added a solo block to the one secured by Vanek.
The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday, August 24th in an exhibition match at Northern Colorado. The game will start at 1 p.m. MST, but it is unclear if UNC will make the game available via streaming. Arizona’s regular season and home game is August 30th against Boise State.
