Syracuse volleyball closes shortened fall season with back-to-back wins
SU volleyball beats Boston College, 3-0
SU closed out the fall volleyball season with a 3-0 win against Boston College on Saturday, and finished the shortened season with a two-game winning streak after beating the Eagles the night before.
SU’s starting line-up led with middle blockers, Marina Markova and Abby Casiano, setter, Elena Karakasi, outside hitters, Ella Saada and Polina Shemanova, opposite hitter, Yuliia Yastrub and libero, Lauren Hogan.
The first set started with Saada at the serving line, followed by a block from Casiano. A kill from the middle by Markova contributed to the Orange’s lead. In a back-to-back play, a back-row kill from Shemanova kept Syracuse’s lead.
The team’s success serving created problems in Boston’s passing, which led to the first timeout of the game for the Eagles. When the game picked back up, a block from Markova and a block from Casiano kept the Orange rolling. A dump from Karakasi forced Boston to use their second timeout and, not long after, Syracuse won the set 25-12, leading the game 1-0.
Syracuse started the second set with a kill from Yastrub. A back-row kill from Saada and a slide-kill from Markova forced the first timeout of the second set by Boston, with Syracuse up 7-1. With a big lead for the Orange, Saada’s kill and the second dump of the game from Karakasi pushed the lead.
The first challenge of the game was called by the Eagles for a net violation, while the Orange were up 18-7. A block from Markova produced another timeout after Syracuse scored two unanswered points, 20-7. Syracuse won the set, 25-9, by an error from Boston’s offense, pushing Syracuse’s lead 2-0.
The third set started with Saada on the serving line. Casiano got the first kill of the final set, followed by double-block from Shemanova and Markova.
The Eagles called their second challenge with Syracuse up, 8-5, and it went in favor of the Orange.
Three kills from Saada pushed Syracuse’s lead to 17-15. A kill from Casiano forced Boston to call the third challenge of the game that finally went their way. The Eagle’s then took their last timeout of the match with the Orange leading, 23-19. Karakasi ended the game with her third dump of the night giving Syracuse the win, 25-20.
Markova led the Orange with 14 kills, four blocks and one dig. Not far behind was Saada with 13 kills and 10 digs. Karakasi set her team up for victory by getting 32 assists, four kills and two digs.
Not only did the starters got a chance in the final game of the fall season, but the bench play was very important to winning the game.
“Our starters did a very good job and they let me to do those substitutions and gave that opportunity to the bench,” said coach Leonid Yelin.
Reflecting on Syracuse’s away games, in which the Orange lost four in a row and only won one set, Saada saw improvement in her performance this weekend.
“I’m happy that I could be apart of the team and do better,” said Saada.
At the end of this shortened season, Yelin is happy with his team’s results.
“It doesn’t feel bad to end with split 4-4. But we can do better and we know what we have to do to be a better team,” Yelin said.
Syracuse’s second half of the season will be after winter break.
is a magazine, news and online graduate student, sports and features writer, plus volleyball enthusiast.
