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Syracuse has struggled mightily in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. After starting the season 12-0, the Orange dropped four straight matches to start ACC play, winning just one set total. Though Friday, facing off against No. 5 Stanford, SU played its worst set of the season. The Orange scored just eight points in the third set of the match, leading to another loss.

In addition to that, Syracuse (12-5, 0-5 ACC) posted season lows in kills (17), points (24.0), and hitting percentage (-0.23), leading to a defeat in straight sets against Stanford (12-2, 4-1 ACC). SU has now suffered five straight losses, this being the third in a row without any set wins for the Orange.

The Orange fought hard in the first set, earning their first lead of the game at 4-3. From there, the lead went back and forth until, at 13-11, a kill by Stanford outside hitter Ipar Kurt kickstarter a 4-0 scoring run. In return, a double block by Veronica Sierzant and Anastasiia Nikolnikova set the Orange up for three straight points, bringing the score to 17-14 and forcing Stanford to take a timeout.

SU held on for the final points, bringing the score within two twice before Stanford clinched the set. A kill by Jordyn Harvey secured the win for the Cardinals at 25-22.

While the match seemed competitive in the first set, SU began to slow down during the second. Syracuse kept up with Stanford in the beginning of the set, never taking the lead, but never falling more than three points behind.

A service error by Syracuse outside hitter Skylar George sparked an uninterrupted eight-point run by Stanford, bumping the score to 19-8. A Stanford service error, followed by a kill by Ava Palm and a block by Nikolnikova and Sara Wasiakowska earned SU the next three points.

An attacking error by Kurt gave Syracuse its final point of the set. From there, two attack errors by Nikolnikova and George granted Stanford the points it needed to win the second set at 25-13.

Stanford started the third and final set off strong with four straight points, before a kill by Zharia Harris-Waddy put an end to the run. Two more points by Stanford forced Syracuse head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam to take a timeout.

After another uninterrupted scoring run (5-0) by Stanford, the Cardinal led 13-3, prompting another SU timeout.

Three Stanford service errors gave SU its next three points while Stanford continued to rack up points. A strong block by Harris-Waddy followed by a Wasiakowska kill resulted in SU’s last two points of the set. A bad set by Sierzant sealed the deal for Stanford with Cardinal winning 25-8.

Recording only eight points made the third set of the match SU’s least effective set of the entire season. SU recorded only two kills, a total of nine errors, and its only negative hitting percentage of the match (-0.219) during the final set.

The last time Syracuse scored less than ten points in a set came in the second set against UNC on Sept. 27. During that set, Syracuse recorded nine points.

Despite the SU’s best efforts, it seemed that the Orange couldn’t maintain the momentum they had gained in the first set.

Sydnie Waller led the team in kills with five, followed by Nikolnikova and Wasiakowska who each recorded three. This was Waller’s sixth match of the season and her second time recording at least five kills (seven kills against Duke).

Palm, the team’s season leader in kills, recorded only two against Stanford, her lowest number of kills scored in a game this season.

George recorded seven digs, followed by Wasiakowska with five and Nikki Shimao with four. Sierzant led the team in assists, recording 13, and scored two kills, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Orange who dropped yet another match.

Published on October 12, 2024 at 10:19 am

Contact Vivian: vpcollins06@gmail.com