After winning 1st set, Syracuse drops 3 straight in loss to Wake Forest

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Syracuse started its match similar to how it had all season. Lauren McCabe’s attack was blocked by Ava Carney and Dior Charles on the game’s first point. Despite the eventual loss, Syracuse showed improvement on many of the issues that have haunted the team this season.

Syracuse (2-14, 0-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) battled against Wake Forest (13-4, 4-2 ACC), winning its first set in three matches, but ultimately fell in four sets. Cherlin Antonio recorded a team-high 12 kills, but it wasn’t enough for the Orange, who remained winless in conference play.

The match started in similar fashion to previous ones as Lauren McCabe’s attack was blocked by Carney and Charles on the game’s first point.

After a limited role on Friday when coming back from a concussion, Laila Smith got more game time on Sunday. Smith’s return changed Syracuse’s lineup’s complexion. Smith finished with seven kills and three blocks and her return helped Syracuse’s lineup’s complexion.

“Having her really gives us more flexibility,” Syracuse head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam said after the game.

Smith returning to her position as a middle blocker allowed McCabe to slide over to the right side of the front row. This allowed Veronica Sierzant to rotate to her natural setting position.

Sierzant’s versatility was on display, recording digs, kills, assists, and blocks throughout the match. While the Orange trailed for a large portion of the first set, they always stayed within reach, answering Wake’s runs with runs of their own.

Down 17-13, the two Syracuse middles began to exert their dominance. A Zharia Harris-Waddy kill was followed by back-to-back solo blocks from Smith. On the second block, Smith raced across the face of the net to reject a Carney attempt.

“I was just really hyped. I was really energized,” Smith said, “I wanted to get my team up, force a run.” Smith’s presence at the net boosted Syracuse’s defensive presence.

Smith killed the final point of the opening set, snapping a streak of seven consecutive sets lost by the Orange.

Syracuse jumped out to an 8-5 lead in the second set, with Sierzant recording multiple blocks in the early stages.

“It took away the burden from our outsides,” Ganesharatnam said of Sierzant’s ability to shift between the front and back rows. She’d finish the game with four kills, 17 assists, seven digs, and four blocks.

However, Syracuse’s second set lead was short-lived, as Wake responded immediately after a timeout. Ogogor, Carney, and Paige Crawford came alive, putting Wake in front after winning six of eight points.

“You could feel the momentum shift a bit,” Smith said, “Our energy kind of dwindled a bit.”

With Wake Forest leading 17-16, Sierzant hit the ball crosscourt, which bounced just out. Ganesharatnam challenged the call, but the call was upheld and Syracuse couldn’t recover. Carney followed up with a kill, as Wake Forest went on to win the set 25-19.

Ganesharatnam acknowledged SU’s lack of depth after the game.

“The only ways we can kind of influence those runs is by executing right or calling timeouts,” “We don’t have the luxury to give somebody a breather if they’re having a rough phase.”

Syracuse kept the third set close in the beginning as well, tying the score at ten after another block by Smith. However, Wake Forest went on another run behind the play of Carney and Ashley Slater. The Demon Deacons eventually won the third set 25-16.

Wake Forest had 17 kills in the third set to just four errors, as the Orange recorded just seven kills with five errors.

While Wake Forest controlled the outsides, Syracuse was strong in the middle of the court.

“I thought both middles did a very good job being very active,” Ganesharatnam said

Ganesharatnam noted Smith and Harris-Waddy’s activity canceled out Wake Forest’s active middles. Harris-Waddy’s strong play continued with the freshman recording nine kills and six blocks.

Syracuse once again competed with Wake for much of the fourth set, going on a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to 20-19. Charles attacking error caused Wake Forest head coach Randi Smart to call a timeout. Coming out of the break Wake Forest scored five straight boosted by Carney’s 17th and 18th kills of the match giving the Demon Deacons the win.

“I think we turned things around today,” Ganesharatnam said, “We learned from our mistakes we made on Friday and really turned them around.”