Volleyball Opens BIG EAST With 3-0 Sweep Against Rutgers

Friday, September 21

Manley Field House

7:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Rutgers

Sophomore Sarah Morton powered the Orange to a three-game sweep against Rutgers and a perfect start to the 2007 BIG EAST season.

Volleyball Opens BIG EAST With 3-0 Sweep Against Rutgers

9/21/2007 9:28:45 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score

SYRACUSE, NY – Sophomore Sarah Morton collected a team-best 15 kills and six total blocks as the Orange opened the 2007 BIG EAST schedule with a 3-0 sweep against Rutgers.

“We came out really well tonight and with some high attack percentages early on,” said second-year SU assistant coach Carol LaMarche. “Every game in the BIG EAST is important. We really can’t afford to not be ready for any of them.”

Morton benefited from an Orange offense that saw nine players record at least one kill against the Scarlet Knights. Sophomore Kacie MacTavish posted nine kills and senior Cheryl Cobbina added seven. Redshirt-junior April Quigley paced the attack with a team-best 24 assists as Syracuse improved to 6-0 at home this season.

Senior Joscie Kaup led the Orange back-line with a club-leading nine digs and Cobbina and MacTavish each totaled eight. Junior Marissa Kanemura, who also saw time as the team’s libero in game three, tallied seven.

Syracuse (10-6, 1-0) raced to an early one-game advantage following a resounding 30-16 win. Morton set the tone for the Orange with six kills on just seven total attacks. The sophomore’s .737 hitting percentage for the match is a season-high and just shy of her career-best of .750, set against West Virginia in 2006. Morton did a lot of damage at the net, posting four total blocks, including three solo stuffs.

After leading by as much as 21-4 in game two, Syracuse matched its largest margin of victory this season with a 30-11 triumph. Cobbina’s eight straight service points sprung the Orange to a 16-point advantage. Morton led SU with five kills as Cobbina, MacTavish and junior Emily Kaier each added four. Quigley tallied 15 assists.

Rutgers pushed the Orange to a 29-29 deadlock in game three before back-to-back SU points, including a match-winning kill from Morton, sealed the victory. Sophomore Samantha Ainsworth collected ten assists in the decisive game as the Orange start the BIG EAST schedule with a win for the first time since the 2005 season.

Syracuse will enjoy an eight-day hiatus before hitting the road for a weekend-swing at Louisville and Cincinnati. The Orange meets the Cardinals on Saturday, September 29 at 2:00 p.m. SU tangles with the Bearcats on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.