(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)
In a season where seemingly nothing could go wrong for the No. 13 Arizona State Sun Devils, the unthinkable occurred. The Sun Devils’ star senior outside hitter Macey Gardner went down with a season-ending knee injury against the Washington Huskies on October 9.
Instead of dwelling on the past, the Sun Devils are trying to figure out an answer for the present. Part of that answer has been moving senior middle blocker Whitney Follette over to play opposite and filling in Follette’s vacant spot in the middle with senior Andi Lowrance.
“We’re always going to be tinkering here,” ASU head coach Jason Watson said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury (of depth) we had in August, but again the basis of what we have got is not going to change. We’re not going to make these massive changes.”
Lowrance transferred back home to ASU after spending a year at Seattle, and this year has maintained a supporting role behind the talented starting lineup at ASU. Given ASU’s health issues, she found herself back into the swing and starting against No. 1 USC and No. 10 UCLA. The pressure seems like it would be bearing down upon anyone that is trying to pick up slack in the absence of the Sun Devils’ best player; however, Lowrance is comfortable in whatever position she gets put in.
“You do what you do for your team,” Lowrance said. “If they need you to hop in the middle for the weekend you do it. You do what’s best for your team, and I’m comfortable doing that.”
After starting at outside hitter against Washington State, Lowrance had one kill and two errors on 10 attempts. Watson then ended up placing freshman outside hitter Lexi MacLean into the starting rotation, who was previously intended to be redshirted.
Watson and the staff decided to reconfigure the lineup, and Whitney Follette found herself moved over to the right side. Someone had to step up into the other starting middle spot — that someone was Lowrance.
In the matches following Gardner’s injury, it has been a little rough offensively for Lowrance, not only against Washington State, but against USC and UCLA. In those matches, Lowrance had only one kill on 15 attempts and four errors. The Pac-12 is a tough place to play, arguably the toughest, especially for a player who had not seen much court time on the season. Getting up to the pace of in-game action can be one of the biggest obstacles a player can face when having to be a role player.
“Every team you play in the Pac-12 is going to be good,” Lowrance said. “Every game is going to be a battle, and you know that going in. You just try to prepare the best you can, and hope that it’s enough.”
As a coach, Watson’s focus is solely on what is going to make the team the best that it can possibly be. Any change that a coach has to make is going to come with some expectation placed onto the player subject to that change. Not only is Lowrance’s performance being watched closely by the fan base behind the team, but also is being watched by coach Watson.
“It was tough,” Watson said. “She hadn’t played middle in forever. I thought she hung in there the best she could. It wasn’t a lack of effort. It’s tough being a middle, and she did it the best she could.”
When a player is forced to start playing when the situation calls upon it, it can be nothing but a learning experience. Lowrance feels as if she and the whole team are getting better as they try and find an identity for themselves without their star outside.
“We are all stepping up.” Lowrance said. “Not having Macey, everyone is becoming better all-around players.”
The Sun Devils have now dropped four straight matches in the absence of Gardner and look to get back on track this weekend against Utah and Colorado. Whether the player be Lowrance, MacLean, Follette, or someone else, the team is in search of an answer.
“I think I’m back on the outside again this week.” Lowarance said. “You do what you do for your team.”
