'Cuse Tops Notre Dame in Four

Wednesday, November 25

Syracuse, NY

7:00 PM

Syracuse University

22-8 (13-6ACC)

Notre Dame

7-24 (2-17ACC)

Notre Dame

Syracuse

11/25/2015 10:14:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse volleyball defeated Notre Dame in four sets (27-29, 25-12, 25-17, 25-16) on Wednesday evening in the Women's Building. The Orange improve to 22-8 on the season and 13-6 in conference play.

The Orange posted a .406 hitting percentage and allowed the Irish a mere .178 percentage on the evening. Syracuse also out-blocked Notre Dame 12 blocks to three.

All-ACC First Team selection Silvi Uattara led both squads in kills with 20, marking the second consecutive game the outside hitter collected at least 20 kills.

Senior Nicolette Serratore added 15 kills, 16 digs, and two service aces in the win. Sophomore libero Belle Sand led the Orange in the back row, accumulating a match-high 20 digs.

All-ACC Second Team honoree Gosia Wlaszczuk paced the Orange offense with 43 assists on the evening.

Sophomore Leah Levert posted a match-high six blocks while adding seven kills of her own.

Syracuse jumped out to a 6-1 lead to start the match and held a steady lead throughout the majority of the first set, but Notre Dame slowly found its way back into contention of the lead heading into the final points. A 6-2 run by the Irish cut the Orange lead down to one at the 22-21 mark, but an unforced Irish error and a kill by senior outside hitter Monika Salkute put Syracuse at game point, 24-22.

An ace by Notre Dame's Sam Fry and a subsequent kill by her knotted the game up at 24 all. The teams continued to swap points, tying it up again at 27 even. A kill on the Irish's end and an Orange unforced error gave the first set to Notre Dame, 29-27.

Both teams traded points to begin the second set, but eight unanswered points on Syracuse's end put the Orange up 13-4, forcing a Notre Dame timeout.

Syracuse continued to surge following the timeout, going on a 9-4 run to extend the lead 22-9. Back-to-back kills from freshman Santita Ebangwese and Serratore completed a 25-12 victory for the Orange in the second set.

The Orange jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, but the Irish proceeded to even the score at the seven and eight-point marks. That's as close as Syracuse would let Notre Dame come, however, as the Orange took off on a 12-4 run to take a commanding 20-12 lead. The Orange let the Irish catch up a few points, but a kill by Serratore and a kill by freshman Anastasiya Gorelina wrapped a 25-17 Orange win in the third.

Syracuse and Notre Dame fought back and forth to start the fourth set, with neither team seeming to take control of the lead. Throughout the middle of the set, the Orange began to build a lead, with a kill by Serratore putting the home team up 20-16. It was then the Orange took control, going on a 6-0 run to cap a 25-16 win and a 3-1 overall victory.

Syracuse returns home for its final regular-season game in the Women's Building, taking on No. 15 Louisville on Friday at 1 p.m. on Senior Day. Admission is free.

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