Syracuse sweeps Binghamton in three-straight sets

Syracuse (7-5) got back to its winning ways in a three-set victory against Binghamton (3-9) Saturday afternoon at the Hofstra Tournament in Hempstead, New York. The Orange dominated the first two sets, 25-18, 25-12, before edging out a 25-23 third-set victory to finish the match.

Kendra Lukacs (11 kills) and Anastasiya Gorelina (10 kills) were SU’s biggest contributors on offense, along with Annie Bozzo (29 assists). The Orange offense as whole posted a .281 hitting percentage, making just nine attack errors all match. Six different Syracuse players had five or more digs in a solid defensive effort.

SU was forced to overcome an early deficit, riding an 8-3 run to take a 12-10 first-set lead. A few plays later, the Orange scored eight of the next ten points to gain control of the set. Lukacs (5 kills) and Mariia Levanova (4 kills) paced the Orange on the offensive front, with Bozzo totaling 11 assists. Binghamton tried to call two timeouts to adjust but couldn’t as SU won, 25-18.

In the second set Syracuse jumped out to a commanding 6-0 lead. Bozzo provided three service aces, while Gorelina chipped in with two kills. For the remainder of the set, Binghamton was unable to get within five points. Eight attack errors and two service errors plagued the Bearcats, and the efficiency of the Orange — .286 hitting percentage, two attack errors — held Binghamton to just 12 points in the set, tied for the fewest points SU has allowed in a set this season.

The third set was the closest as Binghamton stayed even with the Orange, never falling behind by more than four points. Eventually, Syracuse gained a 21-17 advantage, but the Bearcats responded with a 4-0 run that evened the score. Potentially facing a fourth set, SU powered through. With the score knotted at 23, back-to-back kills by Lukacs and Santita Ebangwese secured a 25-23 set victory, as well as a 3-0 sweep. It was the third time this season a Syracuse opponent failed to win a set.

The Orange will play its third and final match in the Hofstra tournament against Hofstra on Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the Mack Physical Education Center.