Match Stats
- NC State (RV) def. Syracuse (RV) 3-0 (25-11, 31-29, 29-27)
- NC State moves to 16-8 (11-2 ACC); Syracuse falls to 17-9 (9-4 ACC)
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Attendance: 1,078
- Box Score
The NC State Wolfpack remained tied for the top of the ACC table with a 3-0 sweep of the Syracuse Orange on Friday that started in a blowout, but then became incredibly competitive in the 2nd and 3rd sets – where the teams combined for 16 extra points beyond the standard 25. Meanwhile, for Syracuse, this was an ominous start to what is the toughest closing schedule in the ACC this season, and may be the straw that has broken their backs for hopes of contending for the conference title.
The Wolfpack haven’t yet lost a home game in ACC play this season, and crushed Syracuse in the 1st set by hitting .435 and scoring a combined 5 service aces. 3 came from the team’s star setter Kylie Pickrell as part of a 7-point run where the Orange couldn’t get out of a bad rotation and the Wolfpack built up a huge lead.
The 2nd set was a very different story. Syracuse built an 8 point lead at 20-12, and the Wolfpack couldn’t match their serving fury from the first set (they had 3 service errors and 1 ace). NC State’s offense came alive late though, including 5 of their points in a row with clean kills, and Syracuse couldn’t take advantage of 5 set points. The teams traded shots and climbed the ladder all the way into the 30s before back-to-back kills by Bree Bailey and Julia Brown ended the frame. Bailey had 3 of NC State’s last 4 points.
The 3rd-and-final set finally showed the parity that these two teams appeared to have on paper. Neither side was able to score more than 3 points consecutively, and eventually it was Brown and Bailey again who pushed NC State to victory.
That pairing each had 16 kills for NC State. Brown’s score line was 16 kills, 6 errors, 35 attacks for a .286 hitting percentage, while Bailey had 16 kills, 3 errors, and 31 attacks for a .419 average. Katilyn Kearney also played well for the Wolfpack with 8 errorless kills on 13 shots.
“We knew we were going to have a match on our hands; watching them they’re so athletic, big and did I mention athletic,” said NC State head coach Linda Hampton-Keith. “I knew we were going to have our work cut out for us. It’s going to be misleading because it’s in three but the reality is that was a tough, tough matchup other than the first set.
NC State hit .353 as a team, which is their highest average since October 13th and their first time in 5 games hitting better than .300.
Syracuse had one player in doubled figures offensively, Anastasiya Gorelina with 10 kills, but 7 errors limited her to an .094 hitting percentage. Syracuse did out-block NC State 8-5, with 6 different players recording at least 1 block assist.
NC State has a winnable 3-game run now against Boston College, Clemson, and Georgia Tech before they face co-leaders Louisville in another key battle for ACC supremacy.
Videos
Press Releases
Courtesy NC State Athletics:
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State volleyball team remained unbeaten in home Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) matches with a 3-0 (25-11, 31-29, 29-27) victory against the Syracuse Orange Friday night inside Reynolds Coliseum.
The Wolfpack cruised to a 25-11 first-set victory, but rallied from an eight-point deficit to win the second set, 31-29. In the third set, NC State battled through 20 ties and seven lead changes to take the third set, 29-27, to collect the sweep.
NC State moves to 16-8 overall and 11-2 in ACC play, while Syracuse falls to 17-9 and 9-4 in conference action.
Quoting Hampton-Keith
Overall thoughts…
“We knew we were going to have a match on our hands; watching them they’re so athletic, big and did I mention athletic,” said head coach Linda Hampton-Keith. “I knew we were going to have our work cut out for us. It’s going to be misleading because it’s in three but the reality is that was a tough, tough matchup other than the first set.
“We went on a little run there so that was nice but 31-29, 29-27 those are some pretty interesting scores. That’s what I thought about Syracuse; we knew we were going to be in for it so I’m really impressed with our team’s ability to just settle in and grind it out.”
On Alumni Night…
“That was a really big deal. Connecting with the people who’ve come before us and the women who paved the way for our athletes to be able to do what they’re doing is hugely important. Secondly, to honor their success since they’re the only ACC Champions NC State has had in volleyball so I think it’s hugely important to recognize that accomplishment and let our athletes see that and meet those women.
“What I hope we’ve done is start the process of really bringing in our alumni and sharing; this season is not just for us but it’s for everyone who came before us and to engage them into the process and engage them back; they’re just as much a part of it as our current athletes are so that was really meaningful. It means a lot to me and I’m really excited we got to do something like that.
Courtesy Syracuse Athletics:
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Syracuse women’s volleyball team was defeated by NC State Friday night in straight sets (11-25, 29-31, 27-29). The Wolfpack improve to 16-8 and 11-2 in the ACC. The Orange drops to 17-9 and 9-4.
Anastasiya Gorelina led Syracuse with 10 kills. Jalissa Trotter totaled a team-high 25 assists and Belle Sand produced a team-leading 12 digs.
Julia Brown and Bree Baily each posted 16 kills for NC State. Kylie Pickrell led all competitors with 47 assists and Emily Harris tallied a match-leading 21 digs.
How It Was Decided
NC State broke open a 4-4 first set with an 11-1 scoring run. The Wolfpack went on to win 25-11.
Syracuse led 24-21 in the second set but NC State answered with three straight points to tie the game at 24. The Orange had two additional match points but the Wolfpack were able to answer each time. NC State came out with a 31-29 triumph.
In a closely contested third set, Syracuse fought off three different NC State set points, but the Wolfpack went on to win 29-27.
Coach’s Thoughts
“We played nervous in the first set, not a lot went our way,” said head coach Leonid Yelin. “We were in a position to pull out both the second and third sets, but they performed just a bit better than we did down the stretch of those games.”
What’s Next?
‘Cuse faces North Carolina on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. The match will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra.
For all of the latest information on Syracuse volleyball, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange &
CuseVB), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseVB), and Instagram (@cusepics & @cusevb).
Leave a Reply