Orange Drop Tight Four Setter At Wake Forest

Sunday, November 3

Winston-Salem, NC

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

13-11,1-11ACC

Wake Forest

13-10,5-7ACC

Syracuse

Wake Forest

11/3/2024 4:00:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In a tightly contested four-set contest that saw dramatic endings to each of the first three frames, the Syracuse University volleyball team (13-11, 1-11 ACC) could not overcome Wake Forest (13-10, 5-7 ACC) on Sunday at Reynolds Gymnasium.

There was little separation between the two teams in the first three sets, with the first two ending with 25-23 scores and the third going all the way to 28-26. The Demon Deacons pulled away in the fourth to secure their victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set featured several momentum swings, with Syracuse taking an early 7-4 lead behind two kills by Ava Palm and one by Skylar George before the Demon Deacons won seven of the next nine to take a two-point advantage at 11-9. A solo block by Palm evened the score at 11-11, but Wake Forest went on a 6-2 run shortly after to go back ahead 19-15. Syracuse immediately responded with four straight points via a kill each from Palm and George, a George ace and a block from Veronica Sierzant and Anastasiia Nikolnikova. Wake went back up by two at 22-20 before 'Cuse again retook the lead by way of Palm's fifth kill of the frame. After the Demon Deacons took a timeout, they won the next three points to earn a 25-23 victory.

Just like in the opening set, Syracuse got out to a 7-4 advantage, highlighted by kills from Nikolnikova, Zharia Harris-Waddy and Sydnie Waller. This time, however, the Orange extended the lead from there, building a 20-12 advantage thanks to a 10-3 run. During that scoring stretch, Palm and Waller both put down a pair of kills with Sierzant adding one of her own. A George kill put 'Cuse ahead 23-17 and Sierzant brought the Orange to set point with a second-touch kill. Wake Forest did not go quietly, as the Demon Deacons erased six set points to get within one at 24-23. On the seventh set point, Wake hit a service error to give Syracuse a 25-23 win of their own to level the match.

The third set proved to be the most pivotal of the match. The first 21 points of the frame featured seven lead changes, the last of which saw Syracuse go ahead 11-10 on a Palm kill. Palm then converted on another kill to end the next point before Harris-Waddy added one of her own to put the Orange up by three. From there, Syracuse built a five-point lead, with a Waller kill making the score 20-15. Wake Forest trimmed the 'Cuse lead to three but George and Sierzant both put down kills to move the Orange back in front by five at 22-17. After Wake Forest won the next three points, Sierzant and Nikolnikova combined for a block before a Demon Deacon attack error set up Syracuse with set points. Wake Forest saved all four of them and won the next point to go up 25-24. Now facing a set point, Palm kept the frame alive with a kill, and a block on the ensuing rally from Palm and Harris-Waddy gave Syracuse a fifth chance to end the set at 26-25. However, the Demon Deacons saved it and then won the next two points for a 28-26 victory.

Wake Forest won the opening two points of the fourth, but Syracuse answered with a 3-0 run capped by a Greta Schlichter ace. The Demon Deacons quickly retook the lead by winning the next four points and eight of the next 10. A Palm kill drew the Orange back within two at 10-8, but Wake pulled away from there for a 25-13 win to seal the match.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Ava Palm delivered her sixth double-double of the season and her third in the last four matches with a team-best 13 kills to go along with 13 digs. She has now racked up double-digit kills in seven conference matches.
Veronica Sierzant also tallied a double-double with team highs in assists (27) and digs (20). The 20 digs matched her career high, which she set earlier this season against California. The sophomore setter now has four double-doubles this season, all of which have come in ACC play. She also had four blocks and three kills.
As a team, the Orange registered 90 digs, just one shy of their season best. Six Syracuse players had double-digit digs, the most for the team in a match this season. 'Cuse had 24 digs in the second set and 27 in the third.
Skylar George accrued a career-high 17 digs Sunday, with nine of them coming in the third set alone. It was her eighth match this season with double-digit digs and the fourth against a conference opponent. She added seven kills and two aces.
The other three Syracuse players to reach double-digit digs were Ashlee Gnau (13), Nikki Shimao (10) and Greta Schlichter (10). Gnau's 13 were a career best.
For the second time in her career, Sydnie Waller posted double-digit kills, as the sophomore's 10 trailed only Palm on the day. Waller swung at a .320 clip Sunday, the best of any 'Cuse hitter.
Zharia Harris-Waddy led the Orange front line with six blocks, her second straight match with five or more rejections. The sophomore also had six blocks against Wake Forest in the lone meeting between the teams last season.
As a team, Syracuse finished with 10 blocks. It was the team's second time reaching double-digit blocks in the last three outings and the fourth in conference play.

UP NEXT
Syracuse returns home next weekend for a pair of home matches at the Women's Building. The Orange will host No. 4 Louisville on Nov. 8 and Notre Dame on Nov. 10. Both contests will air live on ACCNX.

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