Syracuse volleyball falls 3-0 to Notre Dame in second ACC match

Syracuse volleyball fell 3-0 to Notre Dame at the Women’s Building, dropping to 5-6 overall and 0-2 in ACC play.

Notre Dame’s size and defense at the net were evident throughout the match. The Fighting Irish recorded 10 blocks compared to Syracuse’s four and finished with 44 kills to the Orange’s 27. Notre Dame also hit .355 as a team, while Syracuse finished at .089.

The Orange traded points with Notre Dame early in the first set, with the score tied at 6-6 before the Fighting Irish went on a run to take a 10-6 lead. Syracuse could not close the gap, and Notre Dame took the opening set 25-17.

Syracuse came out stronger in the second set, building a 13-10 lead. Kiernan Stamey led the Orange offensively with nine kills on 26 attempts, while Marie Laurio added six kills, a team-high eight digs and two total blocks. Notre Dame responded and regained control of the set, taking it 25-18.

The Fighting Irish carried that momentum into the third set, opening with a 9-1 lead. Syracuse answered with a seven-point run to cut into Notre Dame’s advantage, but the Orange could not complete the comeback. Notre Dame closed out the third set 25-13 to complete the sweep.

Freshman Isabella Sangha was a key presence for Notre Dame at the net, recording six kills and five blocks. Sangha also plays basketball for the Fighting Irish, competing in both sports at Notre Dame. Anna Bjork led Notre Dame with 11.5 points and seven kills.

For Syracuse, Charis Burge recorded 19 assists and eight digs while running the Orange offense. Abby Nicholson contributed five kills while hitting .231.

Despite the score, the match featured a lighter moment midway through the third set when Syracuse and Notre Dame benches broke into a dance battle as the Orange challenged a net violation.

“I think overall we could have done a better job challenging Notre Dame more consistently,” Ganesharatnam said. “We’ve got to keep working, keep embracing the challenges and finding ways to put ourselves in a position where we can compete at a high level.”

He added that the team needs to improve its serving and passing.

The loss comes after Syracuse opened ACC play with a 3-0 loss to Louisville last Friday. The Orange will remain home next weekend, hosting SMU at 6 p.m. Friday in the Women’s Building before facing Pittsburgh at 1 p.m. Sunday.