Volleyball Defeats Villanova in Four Sets

Friday, October 7

Women's Building

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

13-6 (3-1BIG EAST)

Villanova

12-6 (4-1BIG EAST)

Villanova

Syracuse University

10/7/2011 10:42:40 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score | Season Stats | Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Jing Pu earned his 100th career BIG EAST coaching victory as a collective effort lifted the Syracuse University volleyball team (13-6, 3-1 BIG EAST) past Villanova (25-21, 25-20, 20-25, 28-26) on Friday night at the Women's Building.

Andrea Fisher, Sam Hinz, Noemie Lefebvre and Nicolette Serratore each had at least 10 kills, while Lefebvre, Laura Homann, Julia Mindlina and Ashley Williams had double-digit digs.

Lefebvre had her third-straight game with a double-double (11 kills, 14 digs), while Homann had a team-high 45 assists. Williams led the back row defense with 26 digs and Hinz was once again huge at the net, tallying a game-high eight blocks.

With the score tied at 20 in the first stanza, SU ended the frame on a 5-1 run for the first set victory, thanks in part to three attacking errors from the Wildcats.

The second set featured four ties and four lead changes throughout play, but the Orange would balloon its lead to seven at 21-14 and hang on for the 25-20 victory. SU had a two set lead heading into the locker room.

The Wildcats (12-6, 4-1 BIG EAST) would respond in the third set behind middle blocker Maggie Mergen, who connected on six of her eight attempts. The Orange fought back, getting as close as two at 21-19, but Villanova would not break, taking the set three, 25-20.

In the most exciting set of the night, the fourth set offered nine ties and five lead changes. Five of those lead changes and four of the ties occurred after the match was locked up at 21 apiece. However, knotted at 26, a kill by Hinz, followed by an attacking error from Villanova's Krista Andersen concluded the fourth set in favor of the Orange, 28-26, and gave Syracuse the victory.

Other notable performances for SU include Lindsay McCabe who had eight kills and five blocks, while Mindlina set a new career-high for digs with 14.

Now riding a four-match winning streak, the Orange carries its momentum into Sunday when SU hosts Georgetown (9-9, 1-4) at the Women's Building. First serve is set for 2 p.m.