Volleyball: "...we did not have enough effort to win.”

Story and photos by Kelsey Snider

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It was the last home match of the 2016 season for the Syracuse Orange, and even though the weather changed from Friday, the outcome didn’t.  

It was sunny and warm outside when Pitt beat SU 3-1 on Friday night. The snow was swirling outside the SU Women's Building Sunday afternoon as the Virginia Tech Hokies (12-17, 7-11 Atlantic Coast Conference) also beat the Orange (7-21, 6-12 ACC) three sets to one (21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 27-25).

“I think overall we are repeating again and again,” Syracuse head coach Leonid Yelin said. “We are not giving consistently effort. Effort enough to win.”

Set 1: A Slow Start

It was a slow start for the both the Orange and the Hokies. Neither team could create a solid play as both were giving each other free balls and not capitalizing. 

The Orange started to get in rhythm in the middle of the set, but didn’t start to pull away from the Hokies. Virginia Tech started to clean up its game as well.

They kept each other within a couple of points, but the Orange held the Hokies off, keeping them at 21 points and took the set (25-21).

Set 2: Tech Comes Out Swinging

The Hokies didn’t let the loss from set one affect them. They came out swinging.

The Orange served to start the second set and the Hokies passed a perfect ball, which went to the outside hitter who nailed it down the line. Syracuse had no chance to dig it.

That was one of many plays that Virginia Tech made.

It was neck and neck in the beginning of the match, but the Hokies pulled away when they had a five-point run making the score 15-9.

Syracuse tried to come back, but Virginia Tech went on another five-point run making the score 20-12. The Orange pushed forward, but it wasn’t enough and Virginia Tech took the set (25-19).

Set 3: Strong Start to a Slow Finish

Frustrated with the loss of the second set, Syracuse came out with high emotion, and Virginia Tech was still in good rhythm.

The set was close again with each team was staying within two points of the other for awhile. Syracuse got a lead and didn’t give the long point runs to Virginia Tech early in the set, but did towards the end.

The Hokies got two 3-point runs. One caught them up the the Orange and put them ahead by one point. The other 3-point run put Virginia Tech within one point of winning the set.

Syracuse tried to come back with a kill from the outside, but Virginia Tech came out on top, winning the third set (25-22).

Set 4: Effort is Key

From the start of the fourth set you would have thought that it was going to be a fast one, You'd have been wrong.

Virginia Tech came out with a four-point run. The Hokies earned two points with two kills and the Orange gave them the other two points with unforced errors.

Syracuse was not willing to give up and the Orange went on a four-point run as well, as Virginia Tech gave Syracuse three of the four points with unforced hitting errors.

From that point on the set was close until Virginia Tech gave up two 3-point runs to Syracuse and the Orange chances of evening the match looked good. But with a couple of unforced errors from Syracuse, Virginia Tech was back in the game at 21-20.

Both teams fought hard tying the score at 22-22 and 25-25. But Virginia Tech ended up taking the set 27-25 and with it, the match.

Next

The Orange wraps up the season with two road games, at Louisville on Wednesday and Notre Dame on Friday.

“I think our effort is the best option for what we need to work on right now,” Syracuse setter Jalissa Trotter said.