Anastasiya Gorelina sets career-best 20 kills in 3-1 win over Boston College

The third set was all but over. Boston College had maintained a lead throughout the set, needing a mere two points to finish it off. The Orange needed seven.

Then, Anastasiya Gorelina spiked the ball between a cluster of Eagle defenders, and the comeback was on. Sparked by Gorelina, Syracuse (9-5, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) scored seven straight points to end the third set en route to a four-set victory over Boston College (3-8, 0-1 Atlantic Coast) Wednesday night at the Women’s Building. The junior outside hitter led the way for the Orange on offense, recording a career-high 20 kills.

“During the first two sets I was a little bit down,” Gorelina said. “After meeting (in the meeting room), I felt like I needed to push more, I needed to fight”.

Gorelina’s contributions in the final two sets were timely. In addition to starting the 7-0 run that won the Orange the third set, she had two kills late in the fourth set that solidified a victory for SU.

While the value of Gorelina’s play was at its highest in sets three and four, she filled up the stat sheet all night. She tallied 11 kills in the first two sets, nine in the final two. Only one game after setting a career-high with 18 kills against Hofstra on last Sunday, Gorelina set a new personal best, with 20.

Gorelina’s increased role in the offense has been a recent trend for Syracuse. The junior has had at least nine kills in each of her past six games.

“We changed around our middle (blockers),” head coach Leonid Yelin said. “It has been a positive change.”

Sophomore Kendra Lukacs paired with Gorelina in the middle for much of the match. Lukacs finished what Gorelina started in the decisive third set, registering five kills amid Syracuse’s 7-0 run.

The two middle blockers off of each other all match, pacing SU’s offense with a combined 38 kills in the win, Syracuse’s third consecutive victory.

“I was getting super excited when (Gorelina) was getting those kills,” Lukacs said. “I kept going over and giving her a little push on the shoulder.”