Syracuse University
William & Mary University
Volleyball Heads to Lone Star State
9/17/2009 1:59:36 PM | Volleyball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Orange looks to extend its four-game winning streak as it travels to Dallas, Texas to face off against William & Mary, Southern Methodist and Texas State at the SMU Tournament. Syracuse opens tournament play against William & Mary on Friday, September 18 at 11 a.m. (CST). SU brings an 8-2 overall record into Friday's match, marking the best season start since 2004 when the team opened with nine-straight wins.
Last Time Out: At Buffalo
The Orange defeated Buffalo, 3-2, in a mid-week matchup at Alumni Arena on Tuesday night. Syracuse won the first two sets, but Buffalo surged back in the third and fourth sets, tying the match and forcing a fifth game. SU regained its composure in the deciding set, jumping out to an early lead and closing out the match with a fifth-set victory. The match marked the fifth five-set match of the season for the Orange.
Senior Sarah Morton, who leads the nation in total blocks (64) and blocks per set (1.78), set the tone for the SU offense with 19 kills and 24.5 points. Sophomore Erin Little ranked second on the team with 12 kills while senior Kacie MacTavish had nine. MacTavish also led the back row with a team-best 20 digs while sophomore Noemie Lefebvre and senior Shanetha McLaurin split time at libero, notching 16 and 10 digs, respectively. Rookie setter Laura Homann continued to feed the Syracuse attack, dishing out 47 assists.
Orange on the Net
Follow the Orange at the SMU Tournament via livestats. The Syracuse-SMU match on Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. (CST) will also be available on live streaming video.
Syracuse-William & Mary Series
The Tribe has won all three meetings between the two schools, dating back to 1985. Friday's match will mark the first meeting between Syracuse and William & Mary in 17 years. The two teams last faced off on Sept. 18, 1992 in Charlottesville, Va. as part of the Virginia Invitational where William & Mary won, 3-0 (15-8, 15-8, 15-5).
Scouting the Tribe
The Tribe brings a 7-3 record into SMU Tournament play, holding a 450-390 advantage over its opponents in blocks and a 63-39 advantage in service aces. Junior outside hitter Erin Skipper leads William & Mary offensively with 108 kills on the season, averaging 3.18 kills per game. Rookie setter Jordyn Moloney leads the Tribe with 250 assists on the season while junior Cassie Crumal has dished out 91 helpers. Senior defensive specialist Lindsey Pflugner's 134 digs is a team-leading mark while senior middle blocker Katie McCarney is the defensive leader at the net with 27 total blocks.
Syracuse-Southern Methodist Series
The Mustangs have won both matches with Syracuse, dating back to 2000. The two teams most recently met on Sept. 14, 2007 in Durham, N.H. at the New Hampshire Tournament, where SMU won a back-and-forth battle, 3-2 (30-21, 17-30, 30-19, 28-30, 15-11).
Scouting the Mustangs
Southern Methodist is 6-4 on the season and rides a four-match win streak into tournament play. Head coach Lisa Seifert earned her 200th career victory in the Mustangs' most recent win against North Dakota. Sophomore outside hitter leads the SMU offense with 194 kills while sophomore Kelli Becerra's 480 assists is a team-best mark. Defensively sophomore Sidney Steward sets the tone for the back row with 193 digs while senior Kendra Kahanek's 49 total blocks leads SMU.
Syracuse-Texas State
Syracuse's match against Texas State on Saturday, Sept. 19 will mark the first meeting between the two schools. The Bobcats are one of two opponents that the Orange will face for the first time in 2009; SU will also face Wisconsin-Green Bay for the first time later this season.
Scouting the Bobcats
Texas State is 4-8 on the season with senior Jessica Weynand leads the Bobcats with 115 kills. Senior Brittany Collins and freshman Caleigh McCorquodale have split time fueling the Texas State attack, dishing out 161 assists and 102 assists, respectively. Junior Ally Buitron's 108 digs is a team-leading mark while transfer Mo Middleton sets the pace defensively with 13 total blocks.
