Orange Welcome Tigers Friday

SYRACUSE, N.Y – The 2019 season comes to a close for Syracuse volleyball (11-13, 8-9 ACC) hosts Clemson (11-17, 5-12 ACC) at the Women's Building Friday for Senior Day. Orange seniors Kendra Lukacs and Aliah Bowllan will be honored and thanked for their contributions to the program in a pregame ceremony.

With a win Friday, 'Cuse head coach Leonid Yelin will earn his 600^th career victory, becoming the 18^th active coach in Division I volleyball to reach the milestone.

THANK YOU SENIORS
Bowllan, a native of Pittsford, New York, has served as a defensive specialist and libero in her four seasons with the Orange. She has played in 77 matches in her career, logging 667 digs and leading Syracuse in digs per set in each of the last two seasons. Bowllan's career-high for digs in a match is 24, a mark that she has reached twice, including this season at Boston College in a five-set victory.

Lukacs has played in 96 matches for Syracuse as an outside hitter and libero. Coming into today, she has recorded 391 kills, 49 service aces, 658 digs and 101 total blocks. Lukacs achieved her career-high in digs with 24 in a 2018 matchup at Iowa State and a personal best 18 kills in a 2017 contest against Boston College.

Both were key players in the program's first berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2018.

LAST TIME OUT
The Orange earned their 900^th program win last Sunday, defeating Boston College 3-2. Syracuse battled back from 0-1 and 1-2 deficits to reach the milestone. Polina Shemanova recorded her 12^th double-double of the season, leading both teams with 24 kills and adding 11 digs. Ella Saada paced the Orange with 18 digs and contributed 12 kills. Dana Gardner and Abby Casiano each set career-highs in blocks with 12 and 9, respectively.

ALL TIME VS. THE TIGERS
Syracuse is 9-3 against Clemson since the first meeting between the teams in 1990. The Orange have won the last seven matches against the Tigers dating back to 2014. Earlier this season, 'Cuse defeated Clemson in five sets to pick up its first conference victory.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Redshirt junior Kaylin Korte leads the Tiger offensive attack with 371 kills and 3.58 kills per set in her 2019 campaign. She ranks fifth in the ACC in both categories. Freshman setter McKenna Slavik's 999 assists and 9.70 helpers per set are also good for fifth in the conference.

Since Nov. 1, Clemson holds a 1-6 record, its only victory coming in a sweep of Virginia at home. The Tigers are coming off a 1-3 loss at Georgia Tech. Sophomore Solei Thomas' 14 kills was the most in the contest for Clemson.

WHAT'S NEXT
Friday's match marks the end of the 2019 campaign.

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Players Mentioned

Aliah Bowllan

Abby Casiano

Dana Gardner

Kendra Lukacs

Ella Saada

Polina Shemanova

Syracuse University Athletics