Dominant fourth game not enough in five-set loss to Northwestern

Friday, September 16

Cedar Falls, IA

8 pm

Syracuse University

1-7

Northwestern

7-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Syracuse	15	25	20	25	9	2
Northwestern	25	20	25	10	15	3

Dominant fourth game not enough in five-set loss to Northwestern

9/16/2016 11:21:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Weaver, Levert shine on offense and defense

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Freshman Mackenzie Weaver dominated the court both offensively and defensively against a strong Northwestern team, recording 11 kills, 11 digs and five blocks for her first collegiate double-double. However, the effort wasn't enough as the Orange volleyball team fell, 3-2, in a grueling five-set battle with the Wildcats (15-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-10, 9-15) on Friday night at the UNI Tournament in Cedar Falls.

Junior Leah Levert joined Weaver as a large asset to both the offense and defense, as the middle blocker tallied nine kills and nine blocks on the night to register a team-leading .471 hitting percentage.

Fellow freshman Kendra Lukacs registered six kills and five blocks, while junior Belle Sand led the team effort in digs with 12.

The Orange (1-7, 0-0 ACC) began the first set with fire as they took a quick 3-1 lead over the Wildcats (6-4, 0-0 Big Ten), but NU answered back with a pair of points to tie the score at three.

Points were earned back and forth to a tie at seven, until the Wildcats were able to pull away with a 5-0 run to force an Orange timeout.

Northwestern earned the first point out of the timeout, however the Orange continued to fight through the middle of the first, closing the gap to trail by just three points (12-15).

A 3-0 Wildcat run stopped the Syracuse momentum, until a kill by Levert and an NU attack error brought the score within four to 14-18.

Northwestern completed a 7-1 run to close out the first set on top, 25-15.

The Orange and the Wildcats were separated by no more than a point through the first 13 of the second set (7-6 SU), until 'Cuse extended the lead to two points thanks to a service ace from sophomore Jalissa Trotter to force a Wildcat timeout.

'Cuse came out of the timeout and extended the lead to three points after an NU attacking error, but a kill from the Wildcats brought the gap back down to two points.

A kill from Weaver brought the Orange ahead by three points yet again (10-7), but the Wildcats capitalized on a 3-1 run to close the gap to just one(11-10 SU).

Weaver and sophomore Christina Oyawale combined for a pair of kills to supplement a Weaver service ace to put the Orange up by three (14-11) for the fourth time in the second set.

The Orange kept the momentum going out of the timeout, as sophomore Santita Ebangwese and Trotter combined for a stop at the net to give 'Cuse a four-point cushion over the Wildcats.

Northwestern clawed back with a pair of kills in an attempt to close the gap (15-13), but were stopped by a kill from Ebangwese to keep the separation at three points.

Northwestern made an effort yet again on back-to-back blocks over the Orange to trail 15-16, but surrendered the serve after an error to widen the gap to two points.

The Wildcats fought back, but a 9-5 'Cuse run won the race to 25 for the Orange, securing set two and tying the match at a game apiece.

Northwestern came out of the break looking get things going, as the Wildcats took a 5-1 run to force a Syracuse timeout early in the third.

Out of the timeout, the pair traded points back-and-forth to bring the score to 5-10 Northwestern. The Orange tallied a 3-0 run with Totter at the service line to trail the Wildcats 8-10 and force the NU timeout.

A pair of kills from Weaver and Levert tied the score at 10, but the Wildcats were able to garner a pair of points themselves to widen the gap to two points once again.

Back and forth action plagued the game once again, until the Wildcats were able to secure a 9-3 run to lead 19-13 and force the Syracuse timeout.

The Orange took a 5-2 run after the timeout to close the gap to just three points (18-21) and force Northwestern to take its first timeout of the third set.

'Cuse earned a pair of points at the end of the third set as the Wildcats came out on top, 25-20, to bring on set four.

The Orange were out for revenge in the fourth, as they went on an 8-4 run to lead the Wildcats and force the early timeout.

A solo stop from Levert, a kill from sophomore Anastasiya Gorelina and a double stop at the net by Weaver and Levert brought the score to 11-4 and forced a second timeout from the Wildcats.

Gorelina capitalized on the NU timeout call, as she opened play after the stoppage with a pair of kills.

The Wildcats grabbed their first point since the start of set four, but the Orange answered quickly with a kill from Levert (14-5 SU).

The Orange enjoyed a healthy 11-5 run to close out the second set, 25-10, and force the fifth with the match tied at two games apiece.

Northwestern took an early lead in the fifth set, but the Orange weren't ready to give up as they fought back to bring the score within two points (5-3 NU). The Wildcats answered with a 2-0 run to force the Orange timeout.

The Wildcats capitalized on a 3-1 run to lead the Orange 10-4 and force a second Syracuse timeout.

A quad of kills from Ebangwese, Gorelina, Weaver and Lukacs uncovered a ray of hope for the Orange late in the fifth set, but the Wildcats were able to remain on top of the Orange, closing out the set, 15-9, to take the match.

The Orange return to the West Gymnasium in Cedar Falls to face Illinois State at 11 a.m. (ET) tomorrow. Syracuse will play tournament host UNI tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

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