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Syracuse Begins BIG EAST Competition Against #24 Notre Dame
9/21/2001 4:28:42 PM | Volleyball
The Syracuse University women’s volleyball team faces No. 24-ranked Notre Dame this Saturday at 6 p.m. in South Bend, IN in the opening weekend of BIG EAST competition. The Orangewomen finished fifth last year in the conference with a 6-5 record, their highest conference-win total in four seasons. SU travels to Valparaiso on Sunday to face the Crusaders at 1 p.m.
Syracuse meets the defending BIG EAST conference champions for the 10th time with Notre Dame leading the series, 8-1. Syracuse takes the court against Valparaiso for only the second time after defeating the Crusaders in 1999, 3-0.
The Orangewomen extended their record to 5-3 Wednesday night with a 3-1 victory against Buffalo. Junior Abby Van Mater (West Chester/Unionville) posted 16 kills on 27 attempts with two errors for a .609 hitting percentage. The 16 kills and .609 hitting percentage were both career highs. Senior co-captain Noreen Carroll (La Grange, IL/Lyons Township) tied personal bests with nine kills and a .750 attack percentage. She also dished out 46 assists. Freshmen Laura Koster (Houston, TX/Westfield) and Ashley Kimes (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley North) joined Van Mater in double figures with 15 and 10 kills, respectively.
Koster leads the team in kills (3.86 pg), hitting percentage (.365) and blocks (1.28 pg). The freshman’s 33 total blocks are second among BIG EAST conference leaders, her .359 hitting percentage is fourth and her 3.88 kills per game is fifth. Sophomore Christen Casey (Long Beach, IN/Marquette) is first among the Orangewomen in digs with 70.
Notre Dame’s record of 4-3 includes losses to #1 Nebraska, #7 UCLA and #15 Pepperdine. The Fighting Irish are led by senior Malinda Goralski, who ranks first in the BIG EAST conference in blocks per game with 1.79 and second in hittinge percentage (.389).
Valparaiso is winless so far this season with an 0-7 record. The Crusaders’ last loss was against Notre Dame on Tuesday. Carrie Goodrich leads the Crusaders with 3.26 kills per game.
