SU Volleyball spooked by UNC block on the road

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Syracuse Volleyball weren’t expecting a block party waiting for them Friday night in North Carolina.

The No. 22 UNC unblocked the Orange 11-4 in its sweep of Syracuse, the Orange’s largest block deficit since its loss to SMU nearly a month ago.

The Tar Heels’ block was led by middle blocker Jackie Taylor, a leader on the UNC team this season. She contributed to eight of the Tar Heels’ blocks on the evening, all while only playing in the first two sets. Taylor finished the match with 7 kills and a .583 hitting percentage in her two sets played. 

Given the blocking prowess Syracuse was up against, the Orange still found ways to produce some offense, getting middle blocker Abby Nicholson and right side hitters Keila Gabriel and Emma Williams involved early and often. Nicholson tallied the most kills for the Orange on the day with 6, followed closely behind by Gabriel and Williams with 5 each. 

This focus on the offense was an adjustment made mid-match, according to Syracuse coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam, and one that brought the Orange out of a quick road sweep to compete against the Tar Heels in the third set. After the first and second set finished with scores of 25-11, the third set ended with a 25-20 North Carolina victory. 

The other adjustment Syracuse made throughout the match was running the offense through both of its setters: Charis Burge and Mira Ledermueller. Burge notched more assists than Ledermueller (14 to 8), but both got similar playing time in the three-set match. 

“We wanted to add another attacker in the front row,” Ganesharatnam said.

Having the ability to run a middle blocker and two pin hitters was imperative to Syracuse’s competing in the third set, after the adjustments were made. 

Syracuse had leads on the Tar Heels at multiple points throughout the match, trading points at the beginning of the first set and finding runs in the opening and middle sections of the third. 

Another factor that kept the team competitive in the third was the serve-receive game. Both teams had five service aces on the match, but one from libero Yuka Urano brought the set within striking distance, giving the Orange hope to preserve the match in Chapel Hill, possibly even escaping with a set victory or two over the ranked Tar Heels. 

Both of Syracuse’s top outside hitters swung at least 20 times each (22 for Kiernan Stamey, 32 for Marie Laurio), but ended the night with negative hitting percentages, often finding their attacks blocked straight down at the net. Both had 4 kills each. 

With every block, the congregation in Carmichael Arena grew louder and louder as the lead against Syracuse grew. 

“I think the team did a good job not backing down, working actively to find solutions and embracing the challenge, which is not always easy to do, especially on the road in the ACC,” Ganesharatnam said. 

Syracuse stays in North Carolina for the rest of this weekend, playing the Duke in Durham on Sunday.