Ten For Ten! Volleyball Stays Perfect With Sweep Of Le Moyne

Thursday, September 19

Syracuse, NY

6 p.m.

Syracuse University

10-0,0-0ACC

Le Moyne

1-6,0-0NEC

Le Moyne

Syracuse

Ten For Ten! Volleyball Stays Perfect With Sweep Of Le Moyne

9/19/2024 9:48:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University volleyball team (10-0) returned home to the Women's Building for the first time in 20 days on Thursday night and did what it has done best so far this season – win.

The Orange captured their first ever meeting against Salt City counterpart Le Moyne in a clinical straight-set effort to improve to 10-0 on the campaign, continuing the team's best start since 2010. It was the seventh win in three sets for 'Cuse this season.

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HOW IT HAPPENED
Sparked by a pair of blocks, the Orange won the first three points of the match, setting the tone for a dominant night by the 'Cuse front line. Le Moyne kept the set close early, but a 6-1 Syracuse run ignited by two Klara Zarnovicka kills stretched the Orange lead to 14-8. A block later in the set by Anastasiia Nikolnikova and Ava Palm put 'Cuse up 18-10, the biggest lead of the opening frame. The Orange managed the gap from there before closing out a 25-18 victory.

Le Moyne took an early 3-2 lead in the opening set before Syracuse answered with a 6-0 scoring surge to take an 8-3 lead. Nikolnikova had a pair of kills and blocks in that run. Another 8-1 burst later in the set, highlighted by three aces and two blocks, ballooned the 'Cuse advantage to 17-6. Kills by Sydnie Waller and Nikolnikova put the finishing touches on a 25-11 win.

The Dolphins fought hard in the third set and found themselves down just two at 11-9. However, Syracuse won the next four points with kills from Skylar George and Mira Ledermueller to go up six. Le Moyne responded with a 5-1 run and pulled within one at 18-17. The Orange then won the next three points thanks to a kill and block by Zharia Harris-Waddy and a Palm kill. Palm stepped to the service line with Syracuse up 23-18 and delivered back-to-back aces to clinch the set (25-18) and match.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Anastasiia Nikolnikova was a force up front, leading the Orange in kills (10) and blocks (7). The kills were a season best and the blocks matched her high this season. The junior's 10 kills came on just 15 swings.
For the second time in the last three outings, Mira Ledermueller came within one dig of a double-double, as the sophomore setter paced the Orange in assists (31) and digs (9). This was the third time Ledermueller has had at least 30 assists in a match this season.
Zharia Harris-Waddy provided a spark off the bench for Syracuse, tallying four kills on seven swings to go along with a block.
Skylar George (8) and Ava Palm (6) trailed only Nikolnikova in kills. Palm also hit five aces to come within one of her career high and tied for a team-high nine digs to come within one of a double-double.
Greta Schlichter was the third 'Cuse player to tie for the team lead in digs, as the sophomore finished with nine. Emma Ortiz also had six from the libero position.
Captain Klara Zarnovicka made her third start of the campaign and contributed five kills.
Sophomore Sydnie Waller made the second appearance of her career and posted three kills and a pair of digs.
Freshman Pola Bujnarowska entered in the third set and registered the first kill of her college career.
Fiona Rigby made her Syracuse debut, playing the final two points of the match.
As a team, 'Cuse reached double-digit blocks (11) and aces (10) for the fourth time this season.
Syracuse's 25-11 victory in the second set was the team's largest margin of victory in a set this season.
With the sweep, 'Cuse is now 30-3 in sets on the season. The seven straight-set triumphs are already the team's most since the 2021 campaign.

UP NEXT
The Orange continue the Syracuse Invitational on Saturday with a 1 p.m. match against Iowa State before clashing with Cornell on Sunday at 2 p.m. Both contests will be streamed on ACCNX.

For the latest news on the Syracuse volleyball program, follow /CuseVB on Facebook, @CuseVB on Instagram, and @CuseVB on X/Twitter.