Cuse Comes Back To Earn Split On First Day Of Candlewood Suites Invitational

Friday, September 6

Syracuse, NY

2:30 p.m.

Syracuse University

0-3

Stony Brook

3-2

SBU

Syracuse

Silvi Uattara (10) and Nicolette Serratore recorded the first Orange double-doubles of the season on Friday at the Candlewood Suites Invitational

Cuse Comes Back To Earn Split On First Day Of Candlewood Suites Invitational

9/6/2013 11:25:00 PM | Volleyball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - After suffering a five-set loss in the home opener, the Syracuse Volleyball squad bounced back for a five-set victory over Rutgers to salvage a split on the first day of the Candlewood Suites Invitational at the Women's Building on Friday, Sept. 6.

The Orange (1-3) took the final two sets against the Scarlet Knights (2-3) 27-25 and 15-10 after falling behind 19-25, 26-24 and 24-26. SU has now won nine consecutive matches against their former BIG EAST foes.

"The good things from today were that a couple of times we came from behind," said head coach Leonid Yelin. "And when we got in the corner, we didn't get tight. I said be yourself. Be loose but not too loose. Be tight, but not too tight."

In the second match of the evening for the Orange, outside hitters Nicolette Serratore and Silvi Uattara led the charge. Serratore posted a team-best 20 kills to go with eight digs and Uattara had 16 kills while hitting at a clip of .361.

Freshman setter Erica Handley dished out a whopping 45 assists in only her fourth collegiate contest. Defensively, SU was led by Monika Salkute's six total blocks (two solo) and Melina Violas' 11 digs.

After falling in the first set, SU battled back in the second set with a 12-3 run following an early deficit. With the score tied 24-24, Serratore smacked a pair of kills to end the set 26-24. Both teams kept play even in the third set, with Rutgers eventally scoring the final two points to take a 2-1 lead. The visitors held match point at 24-22 in the fourth set but SU scored five of the last six points, capped by a kill from Serratore to send the match into a decisive fifth set.

"We really weren't willing go another five sets and let us lose," said Serratore. "So we just really had a lot of fight and we knew we had to come in with a lot of energy, push through and get that win under our belt."

So after falling behind 9-5 in the final set, the Orange outscored their counterparts 10-1 down the stretch to pick up their first victory of the season. SU's hitting percentage in the fifth set was an astounding .786 with 11 kills and no errors en route to a season best .281 hitting clip.

In their first match of the day, SU fell behind two sets to none to Stony Brook (3-2) and tied it up at two apiece, before eventually falling in the last set (19-25, 22-25, 25-20, 25-22, 13-15).

Serratore and Uattara registered the team's first double-doubles of the season in the loss. Serratore finished with 11 kills and a team-high 20 digs while Uattara had 17 kills and 11 digs. Handley passed out 24 assists , Violas recorded 15 digs and middle blocker Lindsay McCabe tied a career high with eight block assists.

The Seawolves took the first two sets convincingly, but SU battled point-for-point to extend the match to a fourth set thanks to a 6-1 run to close out the set. The Orange never trailed in the fourth and forced a final set, where they would eventually fall to Stony Brook with the help of a 5-1 run that allowed the Seawolves build a comfortable lead.