SU Sweeps Notre Dame

Wednesday, November 6

Syracuse, N.Y.

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

12-13, 7-6ACC

Notre Dame

10-14, 4-9ACC

Notre Dame

Syracuse

Nicolette Serratore was all over the court against Notre Dame with 12 kills, nine digs and a match-high three aces

11/6/2013 10:31:00 PM | Volleyball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A crucial nine point run late in the second set helped the Syracuse volleyball team to a sweep of Atlantic Coast Conference foe Notre Dame in the Carrier Dome on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

"We have to come back, not try to beat them individually," said head coach Leonid Yelin. "But do it by playing together and that's what we did."

The Orange (12-13, 7-6 ACC) swept the Fighting Irish (10-14, 4-9 ACC) in straight sets (25-19, 25-23, 25-23) and has now won seven of its past nine matches. The match marked the fourth and final contest SU played in the Carrier Dome this season. Syracuse finished with a 2-2 record this year and is 3-3 all-time in the venue. It was also the second straight home-win against Notre Dame.

SU enjoyed its second highest hitting percentage (.313) of ACC-play while limiting Notre Dame to just .188, the third-lowest a conference opponent has hit against the Orange in 2013.

Sophomore Silvi Uattara and junior Nicolette Serratore were two of four Orange women to record hitting percentages higher than .300 on the evening. Uattara finished with a match-high 14 kills for a .303 hitting clip while Serratore had 12 kills and nine digs with a .346 attack percentage.

For the ninth straight match, junior Melina Violas reached double-figure digs, matching a season-best 18. Freshman Erica Handley passed out 36 assists and sophomore Monika Salkute tallied a match-best five blocks.

Notre Dame opened the match with a two-point lead, but the Orange answered back by scoring nine of the next 11 points to go up 9-4 and never trailed again in the first set. The Irish got as close as 13-12, but a 10-4 run put SU comfortably ahead 23-16. An ace from sophomore Gosia Wlaszczuk and kill by Uattara closed out the set. The Orange finished with just one attack error in the opener to hit .400.

With Syracuse up 5-4 in the second set, Notre Dame used an 8-2 run for a 12-7 edge. The Irish maintained its advantage for nearly the entire set, taking its largest lead at 22-15. A kill from Uattara sparked a 9-0 run to give SU set point at 24-22. Following a score from Notre Dame, Serratore smacked a kill to complete the comeback and give the Orange a 2-0 lead in the match. Uattara had three kills and a block during the final run.

In the third set, neither team led by more than two until a block from Salkute and Uattara put Syracuse up 11-8. Trailing 12-9, Notre Dame scored the next five points to regain control at 14-12. The teams stayed within one point of each other until the Irish tallied three straight behind back-to-back aces from Andrea McHugh for a 20-17 lead. SU battled back to tie the match at 20-20, and again at 21-21, before a block from Salkute and senior Samantha Clarey gave SU the upper hand at 22-21.

With the match knotted 23-23, Uattara notched a kill and the Orange defense forced an attack error on the next play, as Syracuse took the set and match.
Toni Alugbue finished with a team-high 11 kills. Andie Olsen put together a solid, all-around effort with eight kills on a .538 hitting percentage and four blocks.

Up next for the Orange is a trip to long-time rival Boston College on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m.