SU Defeats Hoyas In Close Five-Setter

Sunday, October 28

Washington, D.C.

12:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

10-16, 2-9

Georgetown

7-17, 1-10

Syracuse

Georgetown

The team gathers at the start of the second set.

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

10/28/2012 2:31:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Box Score

Washington – The Syracuse Orange volleyball squad (10-17, 2-9) defeated the Georgetown Hoyas (7-16, 1-10) in a closely contested five-set match (19-25, 25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 15-8) on Sunday afternoon in the McDonough Arena. Silvi Uattara led the Orange with 21 kills, while Monika Salkute led at the net with a career-high nine blocks.

The Hoyas came out firing in the first set, taking a 6-3 lead over the Orange early in the opening frame, before a pair of kills from Gosia Wlaszczuk tied the match at 7-7. Georgetown continued to pull away with a three-point lead at 12-9 before a kill from Silvi Uattara halted the offensive strike. The Hoyas regrouped to find another offensive rhythm going on a 4-0 unanswered run before an Orange timeout broke up the streak. SU was unable to stop the pressure following the break, as the Orange dropped the first set 25-19.

Looking to rebound in the second set, the Orange took a three-point lead at 5-2 after a GU attacking error gave the Orange the serve. With Monika Salkute at the line, SU extended the lead by as much as five points to set the score at 7-2 heading into the first Georgetown timeout of the match.

Losing the offensive momentum, a ball handling error on the Orange tied the score at 7-7, giving way to 11 more tie scores, as SU and Georgetown continued to fight back and forth for the lead. Clinging to a one-point lead at 23-22, an attack error on Alex Johnson and a kill from Wlaszczuk was all the Orange need to claim the second set 25-22, tying the match at 1-1.

Georgetown opened the third set on a 5-0 run before Uattara stopped another offensive hot streak with a huge kill. The Hoyas continued to pressure the Orange, pulling away by as much as 12 points before an attacking error on Wlaszczuk gave the Hoyas the match point and a 2-1 advantage heading into the fourth set.

Despite more back and forth action early in the fourth set, Syracuse pulled away with a six-point lead at 11-5. With Georgetown closing in on a slim two-point lead at 19-16, SU intensified the blocking effort as Samantha Hinz and Wlaszczuk combined for back-to-back blocks before the Hoyas called a timeout at 22-18. Maintaining momentum, Syracuse made a final offensive push as Uattara's fifth kill of the set and 21st kill of the match secured a 25-21 Orange victory in the fourth set.

Uattara continued her hot streak into the fifth set, recording two huge kills to put the Orange up 2-1 early in the final frame. A combination of stellar blocking at the net and offensive pressure led the Orange to a win in the final frame and a victory against the Hoyas. SU was helped out by seven attacking errors on the Hoyas in the fifth set, holding Georgetown to a
-.062 hitting clip in the final frame.

Alex Johnson led the Georgetown offensive with 18 kills, but it was not enough to overcome the Syracuse blocking effort as Salkute and Hinz combined for 15 blocks. Uattara and Wlaszczuk led the Orange with 32 combined kills, while Emily Betteridge and Amanda Kullman dished out 26 and 20 assists, respectively.

Syracuse will return home next weekend to begin a four-game homestand to conclude the 2012 season. The Orange hosts St. John's on Friday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. in the Women's Building before taking on UConn on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.