Syracuse University
8-2
University at Buffalo
6-4
Orange Harnesses Bulls, 3-2
9/15/2009 10:05:35 PM | Volleyball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Senior middle blocker Sarah Morton posted 19 kills and 24.5 points to lift the Orange to a 3-2 victory against Buffalo at Alumni Arena on Tuesday night. The win was the fourth-straight for Syracuse, which improved to 8-2 on the season while Buffalo moved to 6-4.
“Sarah Morton was key for us,” head coach Jing Pu said. “She caught Buffalo off guard with her hitting speed and scored six points in the fifth game to help us win the match.”
The national leader in blocks, Morton had four stops at the net while junior Hayley Todd's six total blocks were a team best mark.
“The match hinged on blocks,” Pu said. “We held the advantage in blocks in the first two sets and Buffalo had the block advantage in the third and fourth sets.”
Sophomore Erin Little ranked second on the team with 12 kills while senior outside hitter Kacie MacTavish had nine. Freshman setter Laura Homann fueled the Orange offense, dishing out 47 assists.
MacTavish also set the tone for the back row, registering a team-best 20 digs while sophomore Noemie Lefebvre and senior Shanetha McLaurin split time at libero, notching 16 and 10 digs, respectively.
The two teams traded points through the first set, with the Orange putting together a four-point run to take a 20-14 lead it would never relinquish, going on to win, 25-23.
The back-and-forth play continued in the second set, with the two teams tying on five separate occasions within the first 12 points. Knotted, 6-6, Homann served nine straight points to give Syracuse a decisive 15-6 advantage. Buffalo struggled to overcome the deficit as the Orange cruised to a 25-18 second-set victory, taking a 2-1 advantage.
The third set proved to be the tightest of the match, with the two teams exchanging the lead five times. Syracuse held and edge for the majority of the set, but the Bulls surged back to tie the game, 21-21. The teams tied again at 22, 23 and 24, before Buffalo scored the final two points of the set to win, 26-24.
Buffalo jumped out to an early lead in the fourth set and tied the match with a 25-15 victory.
Syracuse surged in the deciding game, jumping out to a 12-6 lead en route to a 15-10 victory with Morton contributing six points in the fifth set.
The Orange looks to extend its win streak when it travels to Dallas, Texas for matches against William & Mary, Southern Methodist and Texas State as part of the SMU Tournament. Syracuse kicks off tournament action on Friday, September 18 against William & Mary at 11 a.m.
