Cuse Drops First ACC Match To No. 17 FSU

Saturday, September 28

Syracuse, N.Y.

12 p.m.

Syracuse University

5-8, 0-1ACC

Florida State

8-4, 1-0ACC

Florida State

Syracuse

Lindsay McCabe registered four block assists against Florida State, moving into a tie for ninth all-time in school history with 290 career block assists

9/28/2013 3:09:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse made its Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) debut with a 3-1 setback to nationally ranked No. 17 Florida State in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Sept. 28.

"When we're playing a top team in the nation, everyone is trying to play well," said head coach Leonid Yelin. "The good thing is maybe everyone in our conference is really good. So you have to come up and play hard."

SU came out fired up, winning the first set convincingly. However they couldn't keep with the higher-ranked Seminoles for the rest of the match (25-19, 16-25, 13-25, 13-25). The first set victory not only marked the Orange's first set win this season over a ranked team, but also their first-ever in ACC play. Syracuse was previously swept in straight sets in all three of their matches against ranked opponents.

Junior Nicolette Serratore led the team with 18 digs and smacked seven kills for the Orange. Sophomore Silvi Uattara posted a team-high 10 kills and Gosia Wlaszczuk was right behind her with eight kills and a team-high .467 hitting percentage.

For the second time this season, freshman setter Erica Handley narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 19 assists and nine digs. Middle blocker Lindsay McCabe paced the defense with four total blocks and added four kills for a .500 hitting percentage.

Trailing 9-8 early in the first set, the Orange stepped up their intensity and rattled off five straight points thanks to four attack errors by the Seminoles. Florida State closed the gap to 20-18, but SU scored five of the final six points to take the set with a kill from Uattara. In the opening set, SU's attack finished with a .500 hitting percentage on 14 kills and no errors, while the defense limited FSU to just .179 and nine attack errors.

The second set stayed close with the Orange down only 10-8 when the Seminoles went on an 8-1 run, led by Elise and Nicole Walch, who each tallied two kills apiece. FSU closed out the set on a kill from Olivera Medic.

Florida State didn't waste any time in the third set, jumping out to a 12-5 advantage behind four kills from Nicole Walch. SU was able to cut their deficit to 16-10, but couldn't get any closer than that as the Seminoles scored seven of the next eight points to go up 23-11. The teams exchanged sideouts the rest of the way and Florida State won on an attack error by the Orange.

Syracuse found themselves in an early hole once again in the final set, trailing 12-5, but pulled within three following four points in-a-row, capped by a kill from Monika Salkute. After a pair of sideouts, FSU tallied the next seven points and outscored the Orange 12-3 the rest of the way to take the set and the match.

As a team, the Seminoles hit at a clip of .304 in the final the sets, compared to just .081 for the Orange. Nicole Walch (17 kills, 12 digs) and Sarah Wickstrom (33 assists, 12 digs) posted double-doubles in the win. Elisa Walch had an attack percentage of .324 on 15 kills and Katie Mosher finished with a game-high 24 digs.

The Orange is back in action on Sunday, Sept. 29 for another ACC battle when Miami makes its way to the Carrier Dome for a 1 p.m. match.