Syracuse Volleyball loses again as first ACC win remains elusive

Syracuse Volleyball (12-9, ACC) battled to the very end with a skillful Virginia squad on the cusp of being ranked top 25 in the nation. The Orange fell in heartbreaking fashion in the fifth set by just two points.

Coming into the match with the Cavaliers, Syracuse went winless in its first eight ACC matches following 12 consecutive non-conference tournament wins. To lose in such a tight match after suffering consecutive sweeps from No. 19 Florida State and Miami was a frustrating feeling for the team. The Orange players came close the victory, but ultimately, they could not get it done against Virginia.

While being winless in ACC play seems discouraging, Syracuse players like setter Veronica Sierzant maintain a strict mindset.

“I think we are taking it one game at a time. Obviously, we know the losses are there, but we can’t look back. That’s in the past, and you can’t really do anything about it,” Sierzant said.

The sophomore, who led the Orange in digs with 14, added that she would love to change the past, but it is more essential to put the game behind her and look forward to the future.

Despite SU’s inauspicious results, competing until the very end was impressive given the direction both teams coming into the game.

The Orange came out with fire by winning the first set 25-19 and created a vibrant energy in the Women’s Building.

After losing two consecutive sets 25-19 and 25-22, with all the momentum on Virginia’s side of the court, the Orange showed resilience and fought back into the game by forcing a fifth set in a crucial 25-21 fourth set win. Unfortunately, Syracuse could not finish as strong as the Cavaliers who took the fifth set 15-13.

Head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam took a sole focus on the positives he could take away from his squad’s performance.

“I’m really proud of the way we performed, the way we fought, and the way we represented ourselves today,” he gleefully voiced.

Ganesharatnam also took the time to praise Virginia and contextualize Syracuse’s competitiveness with the Cavaliers.

“[The game] shows where we stand. If we can compete with a team like that, it shows that we’re on the right track and progressing,” the third-year coach said. “We’re gonna get over that hump eventually, but we’re gonna keep working.”

Another positive for the Orange was outside hitter Ava Palm, who notched a season-high 20 kills. Her offensive prowess satisfied coach Ganersharatnam’s gameplan for the Cavaliers.

“We wanted to be very aggressive, we wanted to control the ball. I thought we achieved both of those [tasks],” he recalled. “We wanted to be really diverse in our offense. We wanted to create opportunities for our attackers where they had 1-on-1 situations. Overall, we did very well.”

As Syracuse moves off a competitive loss, it hopes for a change in outcomes, but not their objectives.

“Our goals aren’t going to change, and at the end of the day, we’re the ones on the court, and I think as long as we continue to believe in what we’re doing, what we’re talking about, what our coaches are telling us, and buying into that, things will fall into place,” defensive specialist/libero Nikki Shimao said.

The Orange are back on the courts at home on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. when they face Virginia Tech.