Syracuse Drops Four-Set Battle Against Duke

Sunday, September 29

Durham, NC

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

12-2,0-2ACC

Duke

6-7,2-0ACC

Syracuse

Duke

9/29/2024 3:52:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. – The Syracuse University volleyball team (12-2, 0-2 ACC) earned its first set victory in ACC play on Sunday against the Duke Blue Devils (6-7, 2-0 ACC) but fell short of winning the match at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Orange won the second set to level the match at a set a piece before Duke won the third and fourth to close out a four-set victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Syracuse took an early 3-1 advantage in the opening set behind a Sydnie Waller kill and a Mira Ledermueller ace. 'Cuse maintained a lead throughout the early stages of the frame, and an Ava Palm kill gave the Orange its first three-point margin at 11-8. However, Duke responded by winning the next four points to take the lead. A 6-0 Blue Devils run later in the set extended their lead to 18-13, giving Duke the cushion it needed to close out a 25-20 win.

Both teams traded points during the opening stages of the second set until Syracuse established a two-point lead at 10-8 with a Waller kill. Duke quickly retook the lead and went up by as many as three before the Orange staged an impressive rally. A block by Palm and Anastasiia Nikolnikova tied the score at 17-17, and that was immediately followed by a Nikolnikova kill, a Waller kill and a Skylar George ace to move 'Cuse ahead by three. The Blue Devils pulled back within two at 22-20, but a Syracuse block from Zharia Harris-Waddy and Sara Wasiakowska got the Orange a side out. Palm dialed up an ace on the next point, and the graduate student put away the set with a kill to clinch a 25-20 victory for the Orange.

The third set saw another back-and-forth start, with Syracuse going ahead 5-3 after a Hariis-Waddy kill and a block from Harris-Waddy and Wasiakowska. However, Duke battled back to build as large as a five-point lead at 17-12. A solo block from George on the next point sparked a 'Cuse surge, as the Orange pulled back within one at 19-18 following a Waller kill. The Blue Devils steadied themselves, though, and picked up a 25-21 win.

Duke carried over its momentum from the third into the fourth, winning seven of the first nine points. Syracuse chipped away at the Duke lead, pulling back within two of the Blue Devils at 13-11 courtesy of a Harris-Waddy and Palm block. However, Duke pulled away late, closing on a 9-3 run to secure a 25-17 win and end the match.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Ava Palm and Skylar George paced the Orange in kills with 12 each. Palm added a season-best 17 digs, the most any Syracuse player has had in a match this season, for her second double-double in the last four contests. George had nine digs herself, falling just one short of her fourth double-double this season.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova had another efficient offensive day, tallying 10 kills on 18 swings. The junior now has double-digit kills in three of the last four matches.
In her first career start, Sydnie Waller delivered a career-high seven kills on 17 attempts. The sophomore appeared in all four sets and hit .294 for the match.
Making her first appearance since Syracuse's opening match on Aug. 30, Elizabeth Schuster led the Orange with 24 assists. The graduate student started at setter and also added seven digs.
After entering the match in the second set, Zharia Harris-Waddy put down a team-high seven blocks for the Orange to go along with four kills. The seven blocks tied the career-high mark she set earlier this season at Columbia.
Nikki Shimao made her first start this season at libero after making her Syracuse debut Friday against North Carolina. She finished with eight digs.
Mira Ledermueller posted 12 assists, her 10^th effort this season with double-digit helpers. The sophomore also had eight digs.
As a team, Syracuse racked up 65 digs, marking the fourth time this season the Orange have finished with 60 or more in a match.
'Cuse reached double-digit blocks as a team for a fifth time this season with 10 against the Blue Devils.
Syracuse had double-digit kills in each of the first three sets and hit over .200 in three of the sets.

UP NEXT
Syracuse will host a pair of ranked teams at the Women's Building next weekend. The Orange will welcome No. 23 SMU on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. before taking on undefeated No. 1 Pittsburgh on Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. Both contests will be streamed live on ACCNX.

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