Friday, October 4
Syracuse, NY
7 p.m.
Syracuse University
vs
No. 17 SMU
Syracuse Welcomes No. 17 SMU, No. 1 Pittsburgh This Weekend
10/3/2024 10:41:00 AM | Volleyball
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University volleyball team (12-2, 0-2 ACC) welcomes a pair of ranked conference opponents to the Women's Building this weekend, as the Orange will host No. 17 SMU (10-3, 2-0 ACC) and No. 1 Pittsburgh (12-0, 2-0 ACC).
Syracuse begins the weekend with its match against the Mustangs on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. 'Cuse will then face the top-ranked Panthers on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. Both contests will be streamed live on ACCNX.
Hot Start
The Orange completed non-conference play undefeated (12-0) for the first time since the 2010 season. Syracuse finished as one of the final seven unbeaten teams in the country after its 12-0 start to the campaign. The Orange went 3-0 at the Salt City Classic, Big Apple Tournament, Siena Saints Invitational and Syracuse Invitational to secure its perfect non-conference resume.
'Cuse is 5-0 at home this season entering its first two ACC home matches at the Women's Building this weekend.
Air Ava
Graduate transfer Ava Palm has been the focal point of Syracuse's offense this season. Palm leads the Orange and ranks No. 5 in the ACC this season with 172 kills. She has racked up double-digit kills in 11 of Syracuse's 14 contests this season. Palm has been the team's leader in kills on nine occasions this season.
In addition to her dynamic hitting, Palm has also stuffed the stat sheet defensively, as her 110 digs lead the Orange. Palm has recorded double-doubles in two of her last four appearances, as she tallied 16 kills and 10 digs on Sept. 21 against Iowa State and 12 kills with a season-high 17 digs on Sept. 29 against Duke.
The outside hitter also leads the Orange in aces (19) and is third on the team with 31 blocks.
Block Party
The Syracuse front line has been a force so far this season, as the Orange currently rank No. 5 in the ACC in blocks per set (2.64).
Syracuse has at least nine blocks in eight matches this season and has notched double-digit rejections on six occasions, including in three of the last five contests.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova is pacing the Orange with 53 blocks on the season, with Sydney Moore close behind at 45. Nikolnikova's 1.43 blocks per set are the third most in the ACC.
Spreading the Wealth
Mira Ledermueller, Veronica Sierzant and Elizabeth Schuster have handled the setting duties for the Orange this season.
Ledermueller has made a team-high eight starts this season. The sophomore has tallied 25+ assists seven times and has three double-doubles, with the most recent coming against Iowa State (38 assists, 10 digs) on Sept. 21. She currently leads the team with 274 assists. Ledermueller's 8.30 assists per set rank No. 8 in the ACC this season.
Sierzant has started four times this season, including in the team's ACC opener against North Carolina on Sept. 27. She notched the second double-double of her career against the Tar Heels with 12 assists and 11 digs.
Schuster made her first appearance since Aug. 30 in Syracuse's match against Duke last weekend. The graduate student started the match and tallied a team-high 24 assists.
Sky Money
Skylar George has created a dynamic duo with fellow outside Ava Palm so far this season. George has registered three double-doubles on the campaign, with the most recent coming against Iowa State on Sept. 21. All three have been achieved with double-digit kills and digs.
The redshirt freshman came one dig away from another double-double against Duke last weekend, as she finished the contest with 12 kills and nine digs. George has reached double-digit digs four times this season, and her 90 digs are the third most on the team.
George has posted double-digit kills in six of Syracuse's last 11 matches. Her 12 kills against Duke were tied for the most on the team with Palm. The outside hitter is currently second on the team in kills (121) and her 2.52 kills per set trail only Palm for the most on the Orange.
George's serve has also been a weapon this season, as her 18 aces are the second most on the team by one.
Sweet Annie
In her 11 appearances this season, Anastasiia Nikolnikova has made an impact both offensively and defensively.
Nikolnikova is currently ranked No. 2 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.500) and has 79 kills (2.14/set). Nikolnikova has reached double-digit kills in four of Syracuse's last five matches after not reaching the mark in any of her first six starts. The junior has hit at least .400 in six straight contests while attempting at least 10 swings in each. She hit over .500 in both of Syracuse's ACC matches last weekend. The middle blocker also has at least one ace in eight of her 11 matches this season.
Nikolnikova is also leading the Orange in blocks per set (1.43) and blocks (53). She ranks No. 3 in the ACC in blocks per set.
We Want Moore
Through Syracuse's first 14 matches this season, Sydney Moore is one of just three Orange players to start every match, along with Ava Palm and Emma Ortiz.
Moore's 45 blocks are the second most on the Orange this season. Moore is one of just two 'Cuse players averaging over a block per set, along with Anastasiia Nikolnikova.
In addition to her defensive presence in 'Cuse's front row, Moore has also been a steady contributor to the Orange offense this season and is one of the most efficient hitters in the ACC. Through the opening month of the season, Moore is No. 8 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.356) and her 77 kills are the fourth most on the team. Moore has hit .500 in three matches this season and has hit at least .700 on two occasions.
The graduate student earned All-Tournament honors at three events this season - The Salt City Classic, Siena Saints Invitational and Syracuse Invitational.
Efficient Offense
Syracuse's offense has been efficient throughout the early stages of the season. The Orange currently rank No. 8 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.244) while averaging 12.51 kills per set.
For the first time since the 2021 season and the first time under head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam, Syracuse hit over .300 as a team in four consecutive matches, a stretch that started with the team's season opener against NJIT on Aug. 30 and extended through 'Cuse's match against Columbia on Sept. 6.
'Cuse opened the season by hitting .320 with 35 kills in its win against NJIT. The Orange followed that by hitting .330 later that evening in a win over Lafayette. Against Canisius, Syracuse hit .376, its best in a match as a team since hitting .398 against South Alabama on Sept. 19, 2021. The Orange have hit over .300 five times this season, most recently against Siena on Sept. 12.
Syracuse's 57 kills against Iowa State on Sept. 21 were the most for a team in a match this season. The Orange followed that up with a 53-kill effort against Cornell, marking the first time this season "Cuse has had 50 or more kills in consecutive matches.
Coming Up Aces
No team in the ACC has hit more aces in 2024 than the Orange. Syracuse's 100 aces this season are eight more than the second-place team in the ACC. 'Cuse's 2.04 aces per set also trail only Pittsburgh in the conference.
Syracuse totaled 27 aces in three matches at the Syracuse Invitational from Sept. 19-22, which included 10 in a straight-set win over Le Moyne.
Ava Palm has a team-high 19 aces on the season. Fellow outside hitter Skylar George trails her by just one. Anastasiia Nikolnikova and Sara Wasiakowska are tied for the third most aces on the team with 13 apiece.
The Orange have hit double-digit aces four times this season and have hit at least five aces in every match but four.
Scouting No. 17 SMU
SMU comes to Syracuse with a 10-3 record on the season (2-0 ACC). The team is coming off wins against Georgia Tech and Clemson last weekend, their first two wins in the ACC. The Mustangs were the biggest mover in this week's AVCA Top 25 poll, going up from No. 23 to No. 17 following their win against No. 13 Georgia Tech last weekend.
Freshman Maya Tabron leads the Mustangs in kills this season with 149, tallying 3.31 kills per set. On Sunday, Tabron led the Mustangs with 11 kills and a team-high 14 digs against Clemson. Closely behind, Naya Shime ranks No. 2 on the team with 147 kills and 3.50 kills per set. She logged eight kills with five blocks against the Tigers. SMU's Natalie Foster leads the ACC in aces (30) and aces per set (0.65). She racked up a career-high five aces in their most recent match against Clemson.
Celia Cullen is SMU's top setter and leads the team with 464 assists (10.09/set). Cullen ranks in the top three in the ACC for assists (No. 2) and assists per set (No. 3). Cullen, this week's ACC Setter of the Week, earned her 4000th career assist against Clemson last weekend. Nnedi Okammor sits No. 8 in the ACC in total attacks (152). She also leads the Mustangs in total blocks (57.0).
Syracuse vs. No. 17 SMU | SMU leads, 2-0 | Last meeting: L 1-3 (Sept. 18, 2009)
Scouting No. 1 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, the unanimous No. 1 team in this week's AVCA Top 25 poll, is the last remaining unbeaten team in the ACC and comes to Syracuse with a 12-0 record and 2-0 mark in ACC matches. The Panthers defeated Clemson and Georgia Tech last weekend to kick off conference play.
Pittsburgh is 36-0 in total sets this season, with 17 of those victorious sets coming by double-digit margins. The Panthers have defeated four teams ranked in this week's AVCA Top 25 - No. 3 Penn State, No. 11 Oregon, No. 19 Georgia Tech and No. 21 USC.
The Panthers currently lead the conference in kills per set (14.36), aces per set (2.25), hitting percentage (.370) and opponent hitting percentage (.115). The Panthers also rank No. 2 in the ACC in assists per set (13.31) and No. 4 in blocks per set (2.67).
Individually, the Panthers have several statistical leaders in the ACC. Olivia Babcock leads the team in kills with 150 and finds herself tied atop in the ACC with teammate Torrey Stafford in kills per set (4.41). Babcock has double-digit kills in eight of Pitt's last nine matches. Additionally, Babcock leads Pitt with 19 service aces and ranks No. 3 in the ACC in aces per set (0.56). She turned in her first double-double of the season (12 kills, 10 digs) in Pitt's most recent win over Georgia Tech last weekend.
Senior Rachel Fairbanks, the 2023 ACC Setter of the Year, leads the Panthers with 304 assists and leads the ACC with 10.86 average assists per set. Fairbanks has tallied 30+ assists five times this season, including in the team's three-set win over Georgia Tech last weekend. Ryla Jones leads the Panthers in blocks (45). The rookie earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 23, joining Fairbanks, who earned ACC Setter of the Week that day.
Syracuse vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh leads, 39-11 | Last meeting: L 0-3 (Nov. 24, 2023)
Promotions and Match Themes
Thursday's match against SMU will be Greek Life Night. Sunday will be Syracuse's annual Dig Pink match in support of the fight against breast cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match.
Syracuse vs. No. 17 SMU Briefing
Match Details: Oct. 4, 2024 | Syracuse, N.Y. | Women's Building | 7 p.m.
Live Video: ACCNX
Live Coverage: Stats
Twitter: @CuseVB
Instagram: @cusevb
Syracuse Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
SMU Links: Roster | Schedule
Syracuse vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh Briefing
Match Details: Oct. 6, 2024 | Syracuse, N.Y. | Women's Building | 11 a.m.
Live Video: ACCNX
Live Coverage: Stats
Twitter: @CuseVB
Instagram: @cusevb
Syracuse Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Pittsburgh Links: Roster | Schedule
Up Next
Syracuse heads west for matches against No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 11 and California on Oct. 12. Both road contests will begin at 10 p.m. on ACCNX.
For the latest news on the Syracuse volleyball program, follow /CuseVB on Facebook, @CuseVB on Instagram, and @CuseVB on X/Twitter.
Syracuse begins the weekend with its match against the Mustangs on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. 'Cuse will then face the top-ranked Panthers on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. Both contests will be streamed live on ACCNX.
Hot Start
The Orange completed non-conference play undefeated (12-0) for the first time since the 2010 season. Syracuse finished as one of the final seven unbeaten teams in the country after its 12-0 start to the campaign. The Orange went 3-0 at the Salt City Classic, Big Apple Tournament, Siena Saints Invitational and Syracuse Invitational to secure its perfect non-conference resume.
'Cuse is 5-0 at home this season entering its first two ACC home matches at the Women's Building this weekend.
Air Ava
Graduate transfer Ava Palm has been the focal point of Syracuse's offense this season. Palm leads the Orange and ranks No. 5 in the ACC this season with 172 kills. She has racked up double-digit kills in 11 of Syracuse's 14 contests this season. Palm has been the team's leader in kills on nine occasions this season.
In addition to her dynamic hitting, Palm has also stuffed the stat sheet defensively, as her 110 digs lead the Orange. Palm has recorded double-doubles in two of her last four appearances, as she tallied 16 kills and 10 digs on Sept. 21 against Iowa State and 12 kills with a season-high 17 digs on Sept. 29 against Duke.
The outside hitter also leads the Orange in aces (19) and is third on the team with 31 blocks.
Block Party
The Syracuse front line has been a force so far this season, as the Orange currently rank No. 5 in the ACC in blocks per set (2.64).
Syracuse has at least nine blocks in eight matches this season and has notched double-digit rejections on six occasions, including in three of the last five contests.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova is pacing the Orange with 53 blocks on the season, with Sydney Moore close behind at 45. Nikolnikova's 1.43 blocks per set are the third most in the ACC.
Spreading the Wealth
Mira Ledermueller, Veronica Sierzant and Elizabeth Schuster have handled the setting duties for the Orange this season.
Ledermueller has made a team-high eight starts this season. The sophomore has tallied 25+ assists seven times and has three double-doubles, with the most recent coming against Iowa State (38 assists, 10 digs) on Sept. 21. She currently leads the team with 274 assists. Ledermueller's 8.30 assists per set rank No. 8 in the ACC this season.
Sierzant has started four times this season, including in the team's ACC opener against North Carolina on Sept. 27. She notched the second double-double of her career against the Tar Heels with 12 assists and 11 digs.
Schuster made her first appearance since Aug. 30 in Syracuse's match against Duke last weekend. The graduate student started the match and tallied a team-high 24 assists.
Sky Money
Skylar George has created a dynamic duo with fellow outside Ava Palm so far this season. George has registered three double-doubles on the campaign, with the most recent coming against Iowa State on Sept. 21. All three have been achieved with double-digit kills and digs.
The redshirt freshman came one dig away from another double-double against Duke last weekend, as she finished the contest with 12 kills and nine digs. George has reached double-digit digs four times this season, and her 90 digs are the third most on the team.
George has posted double-digit kills in six of Syracuse's last 11 matches. Her 12 kills against Duke were tied for the most on the team with Palm. The outside hitter is currently second on the team in kills (121) and her 2.52 kills per set trail only Palm for the most on the Orange.
George's serve has also been a weapon this season, as her 18 aces are the second most on the team by one.
Sweet Annie
In her 11 appearances this season, Anastasiia Nikolnikova has made an impact both offensively and defensively.
Nikolnikova is currently ranked No. 2 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.500) and has 79 kills (2.14/set). Nikolnikova has reached double-digit kills in four of Syracuse's last five matches after not reaching the mark in any of her first six starts. The junior has hit at least .400 in six straight contests while attempting at least 10 swings in each. She hit over .500 in both of Syracuse's ACC matches last weekend. The middle blocker also has at least one ace in eight of her 11 matches this season.
Nikolnikova is also leading the Orange in blocks per set (1.43) and blocks (53). She ranks No. 3 in the ACC in blocks per set.
We Want Moore
Through Syracuse's first 14 matches this season, Sydney Moore is one of just three Orange players to start every match, along with Ava Palm and Emma Ortiz.
Moore's 45 blocks are the second most on the Orange this season. Moore is one of just two 'Cuse players averaging over a block per set, along with Anastasiia Nikolnikova.
In addition to her defensive presence in 'Cuse's front row, Moore has also been a steady contributor to the Orange offense this season and is one of the most efficient hitters in the ACC. Through the opening month of the season, Moore is No. 8 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.356) and her 77 kills are the fourth most on the team. Moore has hit .500 in three matches this season and has hit at least .700 on two occasions.
The graduate student earned All-Tournament honors at three events this season - The Salt City Classic, Siena Saints Invitational and Syracuse Invitational.
Efficient Offense
Syracuse's offense has been efficient throughout the early stages of the season. The Orange currently rank No. 8 in the ACC in hitting percentage (.244) while averaging 12.51 kills per set.
For the first time since the 2021 season and the first time under head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam, Syracuse hit over .300 as a team in four consecutive matches, a stretch that started with the team's season opener against NJIT on Aug. 30 and extended through 'Cuse's match against Columbia on Sept. 6.
'Cuse opened the season by hitting .320 with 35 kills in its win against NJIT. The Orange followed that by hitting .330 later that evening in a win over Lafayette. Against Canisius, Syracuse hit .376, its best in a match as a team since hitting .398 against South Alabama on Sept. 19, 2021. The Orange have hit over .300 five times this season, most recently against Siena on Sept. 12.
Syracuse's 57 kills against Iowa State on Sept. 21 were the most for a team in a match this season. The Orange followed that up with a 53-kill effort against Cornell, marking the first time this season "Cuse has had 50 or more kills in consecutive matches.
Coming Up Aces
No team in the ACC has hit more aces in 2024 than the Orange. Syracuse's 100 aces this season are eight more than the second-place team in the ACC. 'Cuse's 2.04 aces per set also trail only Pittsburgh in the conference.
Syracuse totaled 27 aces in three matches at the Syracuse Invitational from Sept. 19-22, which included 10 in a straight-set win over Le Moyne.
Ava Palm has a team-high 19 aces on the season. Fellow outside hitter Skylar George trails her by just one. Anastasiia Nikolnikova and Sara Wasiakowska are tied for the third most aces on the team with 13 apiece.
The Orange have hit double-digit aces four times this season and have hit at least five aces in every match but four.
Scouting No. 17 SMU
SMU comes to Syracuse with a 10-3 record on the season (2-0 ACC). The team is coming off wins against Georgia Tech and Clemson last weekend, their first two wins in the ACC. The Mustangs were the biggest mover in this week's AVCA Top 25 poll, going up from No. 23 to No. 17 following their win against No. 13 Georgia Tech last weekend.
Freshman Maya Tabron leads the Mustangs in kills this season with 149, tallying 3.31 kills per set. On Sunday, Tabron led the Mustangs with 11 kills and a team-high 14 digs against Clemson. Closely behind, Naya Shime ranks No. 2 on the team with 147 kills and 3.50 kills per set. She logged eight kills with five blocks against the Tigers. SMU's Natalie Foster leads the ACC in aces (30) and aces per set (0.65). She racked up a career-high five aces in their most recent match against Clemson.
Celia Cullen is SMU's top setter and leads the team with 464 assists (10.09/set). Cullen ranks in the top three in the ACC for assists (No. 2) and assists per set (No. 3). Cullen, this week's ACC Setter of the Week, earned her 4000th career assist against Clemson last weekend. Nnedi Okammor sits No. 8 in the ACC in total attacks (152). She also leads the Mustangs in total blocks (57.0).
Syracuse vs. No. 17 SMU | SMU leads, 2-0 | Last meeting: L 1-3 (Sept. 18, 2009)
Scouting No. 1 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, the unanimous No. 1 team in this week's AVCA Top 25 poll, is the last remaining unbeaten team in the ACC and comes to Syracuse with a 12-0 record and 2-0 mark in ACC matches. The Panthers defeated Clemson and Georgia Tech last weekend to kick off conference play.
Pittsburgh is 36-0 in total sets this season, with 17 of those victorious sets coming by double-digit margins. The Panthers have defeated four teams ranked in this week's AVCA Top 25 - No. 3 Penn State, No. 11 Oregon, No. 19 Georgia Tech and No. 21 USC.
The Panthers currently lead the conference in kills per set (14.36), aces per set (2.25), hitting percentage (.370) and opponent hitting percentage (.115). The Panthers also rank No. 2 in the ACC in assists per set (13.31) and No. 4 in blocks per set (2.67).
Individually, the Panthers have several statistical leaders in the ACC. Olivia Babcock leads the team in kills with 150 and finds herself tied atop in the ACC with teammate Torrey Stafford in kills per set (4.41). Babcock has double-digit kills in eight of Pitt's last nine matches. Additionally, Babcock leads Pitt with 19 service aces and ranks No. 3 in the ACC in aces per set (0.56). She turned in her first double-double of the season (12 kills, 10 digs) in Pitt's most recent win over Georgia Tech last weekend.
Senior Rachel Fairbanks, the 2023 ACC Setter of the Year, leads the Panthers with 304 assists and leads the ACC with 10.86 average assists per set. Fairbanks has tallied 30+ assists five times this season, including in the team's three-set win over Georgia Tech last weekend. Ryla Jones leads the Panthers in blocks (45). The rookie earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 23, joining Fairbanks, who earned ACC Setter of the Week that day.
Syracuse vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh leads, 39-11 | Last meeting: L 0-3 (Nov. 24, 2023)
Promotions and Match Themes
Thursday's match against SMU will be Greek Life Night. Sunday will be Syracuse's annual Dig Pink match in support of the fight against breast cancer. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the match.
Syracuse vs. No. 17 SMU Briefing
Match Details: Oct. 4, 2024 | Syracuse, N.Y. | Women's Building | 7 p.m.
Live Video: ACCNX
Live Coverage: Stats
Twitter: @CuseVB
Instagram: @cusevb
Syracuse Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
SMU Links: Roster | Schedule
Syracuse vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh Briefing
Match Details: Oct. 6, 2024 | Syracuse, N.Y. | Women's Building | 11 a.m.
Live Video: ACCNX
Live Coverage: Stats
Twitter: @CuseVB
Instagram: @cusevb
Syracuse Links: Notes | News | Roster | Schedule
Pittsburgh Links: Roster | Schedule
Up Next
Syracuse heads west for matches against No. 5 Stanford on Oct. 11 and California on Oct. 12. Both road contests will begin at 10 p.m. on ACCNX.
For the latest news on the Syracuse volleyball program, follow /CuseVB on Facebook, @CuseVB on Instagram, and @CuseVB on X/Twitter.
Players Mentioned
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