SU Volleyball Looking for Another Conference Win

By Jessica Eley

Syracuse, N.Y -

Orange blocking against a Duke attack

Still looking for a second ACC win, Syracuse University's volleyball team went up against No. 25 Duke on Sunday at the SU Women's Building. The Orange gave them a fight but
the Blue Devils swept, 25-16, 25-21, 25-19.

SU (8-17, 1-13 ACC) was led offensively by senior middle blocker, Lindsay McCabe, who had nine kills and a .278 hitting percentage.

SU was neck and neck with Duke (18-8, 10-3)in the beginning of the first set until point seven.  But several missed opportunities by the Orange eventually gave the Blue Devils an 18-11 lead.

After a serving error by Duke's Sasha Karelov, SU cut the lead to 19-16. But the Orange was unable to score during the rest of the set as the Blue Devils closed it out.

The scores in sets two and three were closer. SU Junior setter ,Gosia Wlasczcsuk, got McCabe going. Seven of her kills came during the last two sets.

McCabe said the team could have played better. The sets were filled with long rallies and the Orange was not able to capitalize.

"If we can sustain that fight longer during the rallies with different results..." McCabe said. "We have points in the game where we're doing a great job at fighting, but we're not sustaining that the entire set."

The Blue Devils outhit the Orange 54 to 35 with a .339 hitting percentage.

"They're smart hitters, they know how to hit around the block," McCabe said.

The Orange also lost its Friday match against Clemson, 3-1.

Despite the direction the season has gone, head coach Leonid Yelin said the team has not given up and is still looking for a way to win.

"We played against a good team and we didn't even play as good as we could have," Yelin said.

The Orange hosts Boston College next Sunday before playing Miami and Florida State on the road on Nov. 21 and 23.