Orange Hit Road for Pair of Matches with #4 Pitt, #8 SMU

The Syracuse Volleyball team (13-13, 5-9 ACC) are back on the road this weekend as they get set to head to Pittsburgh and Dallas for a couple of matchups with the ACC's top teams. They'll start with the #4 Pitt Panthers on Friday evening before wrapping things up against #8 SMU on Sunday afternoon.

IN THE HOME STRETCH
The Orange have just four matches remaining in the regular season and find themselves tied for 12^th in the ACC standings. The Orange are coming off a weekend in which they had two efficient performances on offense, despite the two losses.

SYDNIE WALLER FINDING HER GROOVE
Sydnie Waller delivered her best performance of the season in last weekend's loss to NC State, coming off the bench to provide a spark on the right side. The Tennessee native kept the Orange competitive with 15 kills on just 26 swings for a .538 hitting percentage, all season-highs for Waller.

Waller has made significant strides as a force on offense, nearly doubling her kill total with 140 thus far. She has also made a leap defensively, totaling 46 blocks in 2025 after recording just 29 the previous season.

CAPTAINS LEADING THE CHARGE
Gabriella McLaughlin and Tehya Maeva continue to pace the Syracuse attack as the season winds down. McLaughlin has compiled 379 kills through 26 matches, ranking sixth in the ACC, and has recorded 13 double-doubles this season while maintaining her status as one of the conference's most consistent offensive threats. Maeva has orchestrated the offense with 896 assists, ranking sixth in the conference at 9.33 assists per set.

OFFENSIVE BALANCE
Syracuse continues to spread the offense across the roster, averaging 12.7 kills per set with a .207 hitting percentage. Skylar George ranks second on the team with 273 kills and has been particularly effective in ACC play with 11 double-digit kill performances.George picked up a double-double against NC State with 13 kills and 16 digs.

The Orange get contributions from their middles as well, with Soana Lea'ea racking up 144 kills and Zharia Harris-Waddy adding 134. The two have given opponents fits at the net, with Harris-Waddy at 91.0 rejections and Lea'ea totaling 79.0 blocks.

SCOUTING #4 PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh has established itself as one of college volleyball's premier programs, reaching the NCAA Tournament semifinals in each of the past four seasons. The Panthers have also claimed at least a share of the ACC Regular Season Title in three consecutive seasons, including sole possession of the 2024 crown.

Head Coach Dan Fisher is in his 13th year at Pittsburgh with a 342-73 record during his tenure. The Panthers are led by Olivia Babcock, who averages 5.05 kills per set, the second-best mark in the conference.

Pittsburgh is one of the ACC's most efficient teams offensively, posting a .304 hitting percentage this year. The Panthers lead the all-time series 47-11 and have won seven straight meetings with Syracuse.

SCOUTING #8 SMU
SMU sits tied for second in the ACC with a 13-3 conference record, trailing the leaders by just one game. The Mustangs are riding high on a five-match win streak that includes a victory over Stanford. The Mustangs also picked up road wins over Miami and Louisville earlier this season.

SMU boasts a .307 hitting percentage, the fifth-best mark in the nation and tops in the ACC. Malaya Jones paces the Mustangs with 402 kills, trailing only Babcock and Miami's Flormarie Heredia Colon in the conference.

The Mustangs have won all four previous meetings between the programs.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

#4 Pittsburgh: Friday, Nov. 21, 7:00 PM - ACCNX
#8 SMU: Sunday, Nov. 23, 2:00 PM – ACCNX

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