'Cuse Extends Win Streak To Three

Friday, October 25

Syracuse, N.Y.

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

9-12, 4-5ACC

Georgia Tech

7-14, 1-8ACC

Georgia Tech

Syracuse

Junior Melina Violas notched a season-best 16 digs against Georgia Tech. In SU's current three-match win streak, she is averaging 4.40 digs per set.

10/25/2013 10:12:00 PM | Volleyball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Behind a potent defensive effort, the Syracuse volleyball club swept Georgia Tech (25-18, 25-22, 25-19) in an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) match on Friday, Oct. 25 in the Carrier Dome to run its win streak to three, and four in the past five matches.

"The reason we are winning is because the level of confidence has gone up," said head coach Leonid Yelin. "You start winning, you believe in what you're doing."

SU (9-12, 4-5 ACC) held the Yellow Jackets (7-14, 1-8 ACC) to a .192 hitting percentage while racking up 53 digs and outblocking Georgia Tech 10-4. As a team, the Orange hit .280, the third highest total in ACC-play this season.

Redshirt Junior Lindsay McCabe had another stellar performance at the net with nine total blocks, including one solo. Junior Melina Violas paced the Orange in digs for the sixth straight game, finishing with match- and season-best 16 digs.

Sophomore Silvi Uattara registered a game-high 13 kills and added eight digs, snapping her streak of three straight matches with a double-double. She also served four aces. Junior Nicolette Serratore and redshirt freshman Valeriya Shaipova each recorded seven kills and both reached double-figure digs with Serratore at 10 and Shaipova tallying 12. Freshman Erica Handley dished out 32 assists.

Trailing 2-0 to begin the match, SU scored seven of the next eight points to gain a 7-3 advantage. Georgia Tech tied the score at 7-7 and the teams exchanged sideouts until the score was 10-10. At that point, the Orange used a 9-3 run to pull away for a 19-13 lead, sparked by a pair of kills and a block from McCabe. After the Yellow Jackets closed the gap to 19-16, SU responded by netting six of the last eight points to take the set. Syracuse hit .340 in the opening game while Violas recorded 12 of her match-high 16 digs in the frame.

Neither team led by more than two in the second set until SU rattled off five consecutive points to go up 19-15. McCabe had a hand in four blocks during the spurt to give the Orange the breathing room it needed. Still down by four, the Yellow Jackets went on a 4-1 run to get within 22-21, but a costly service error followed by an ace from sophomore Monika Salkute had Syracuse at set point. Two plays later an attack error gave SU a 2-0 lead in the match.

The teams traded sideouts to open the third set until a 6-1 run put the Orange up 12-7. Leading 13-9, another 6-1 run followed suit and SU found itself comfortably in front 19-10. Georgia Tech was able to pull within 22-16 and 24-19, however it was too little, too late, as Syracuse received a kill from Serratore to close out the match and give the Orange the victory.

Jennifer Percy led the Yellow Jackets with 13 kills and a .276 hitting percentage. Annika Van Gunst helped out on the defensive end with 11 digs and a team-best three blocks.

Syracuse will look to continue its winning ways on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. at the Women's Building when Clemson comes to town.