Cuse Defeated By Miami In Four Sets

Sunday, September 29

Syracuse, N.Y.

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

5-9, 0-2ACC

Miami

9-3, 2-0ACC

Miami

Syracuse

Nicolette Serratore collected her third double-double in four outings. She leads with 150 kills and 139 digs this season.

9/29/2013 3:56:00 PM | Volleyball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Junior outside hitter Nicolette Serratore posted her third double-double in four games as Syracuse lost to Atlantic Coast Conference-foe Miami in four sets on Sunday, Sept. 29 in the Carrier Dome.

Despite Miami (9-3, 2-0 ACC) wining the match (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 25-18), SU (5-9, 0-2 ACC) played tough and stuck with the Hurricanes. In the final set, the Orange were tied 17-17 and looked to extend the match into a fifth set before the Hurricanes scored six straight to pull away.

"I think we showed we can compete with these teams," said Lindsay McCabe following the Orange's tough weekend series. "We need to be more consistent."

Serratore's final line included 11 kills and 11 digs, which were both second on the team. Silvi Uattara led the squad with 17 kills and a .350 hitting percentage. Sophomore Gosia Wlaszczuk chipped in on both ends of the court with eight kills and 10 digs.

McCabe's five total blocks (one solo) led the Orange, as did Candace Timberlake's 12 digs. Erica Handley dished out 32 assists to pace Syracuse.

SU held on to an early lead in the opening set, which they extended to 12-8 following a block from McCabe and Wlaszczuk. Miami responded with five straight points for their first lead of the set since scoring the first point. Syracuse took a 16-15 lead, only to see it disappear when the Hurricanes tallied seven straight and 10 of the last 12 points to capture the set. During the closing run, Savannah Leaf led Miami with three kills.

The Hurricanes led for most of the second set, but the Orange kept it close and never trailed by more than three points. Down 18-16, SU was finally able to string scores, recording the next three points and seven of the next nine to take a 23-10 advantage. Sideouts the rest of the way gave SU the 25-22 win to tie the match at 1-1.

Miami registered the first four points of the third set and never looked back. SU was able to close the gap to 6-5 and 11-9, but couldn't get any closer than three throughout the rest of the set. The Orange looked poised to make a run after Serratore served up an ace to make it 22-18 in favor of Miami, but Alex Johnson smacked two kills to propel the Hurricanes to take the set.

Both teams traded the lead early and often to start the fourth set. SU grabbed their largest lead following a run of four straight points to go up 9-7. Miami answered with three of their own to regain the lead at 10-9. With the scored tied at 11-11, the Hurricanes rattled off the next four points to try and pull away. However, behind three kills from Uattara, the Orange climbed back to tie the set 17-17. A 6-0 run by Miami with three kills from Leaf, answered SU's run and allowed the visitors walk away with the win.

Leaf led all players with 21 kills while hitting at a clip of .347. Johnson matched Serratore's double-double of 11 kills and 11 points and Blair Fuentez passed out 49 assists. Defensively, the Hurricanes were paced by Fuentez's four total blocks and Ryan Shaffer's 16 digs.

The Orange will relocate to the Women's Building next weekend when nationally ranked No. 14 North Carolina and NC State come to town. SU will play UNC on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. and NC State on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m.