Syracuse rebounds with straight-set win at Virginia

After a difficult four-set loss on Friday away at Pitt, Syracuse (9-5, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) rebounded Sunday with a straight-set victory against Virginia (5-11, 1-5), 3-0. Syracuse dominated at the net, blocking six more shots than the Cavaliers. SU also totaled a .252 hit percentage, over .100 higher than its opponent.

Late in the first set, Syracuse and UVA were tied at 23. The Orange had recovered from two four-point deficits and needed a boost to win the first set. SU head coach Leonid Yelin substituted in junior Kendra Lukacs and freshman Yuliia Yastrub. The very next point, Lukacs fired a serve into UVA sophomore Alex Spencer. Spencer’s attempt flew off the court and towards the sideline. SU took the first set, 26-24. That was the first of two aces for Lukacs.

UVA rebounded early in the second set, jumping out to a 10-3 lead. After an attack error by freshman Milla Ciprian, Cavaliers freshman Grace Turner leaped into the air, looking to increase the lead to eight points. Seniors Santita Ebangwese and Jalissa Trotter, side by side, rose into the air together. Ebangwese with her left hand and Trotter with her right, deflected the ball down into the open space directly to the right of Ciprian. That block was the second point of a 6-2 Orange run that helped SU win the set, 25-23.

At 24-21 in the third, junior Ella Saada fired a serve into the UVA backline. Cavaliers freshman Megan Wilson tried to dig the ball to her teammate but couldn’t control it. The ball flew over the net, right to Lukacs. She jumped into the air and easily blocked it into the open area, clinching the match for Syracuse.

SU returns home on Friday, Oct. 12, against Miami at 7 p.m.