Orange Defeat No. 22 Louisville in Five-Set Thriller

Sunday, October 28

Louisville, KY

1 pm

Syracuse University

13-7, 9-3

Louisville

17-6, 10-2

LOUISVILLE

Orange Defeat No. 22 Louisville in Five-Set Thriller

10/28/2018 4:23:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a five-set thriller, the Syracuse University volleyball team defeated No. 22 Louisville Sunday afternoon. Syracuse (13-7, 9-3 ACC) handed the Cardinals their second loss of conference play this season as the Orange took the program's first win inside Cardinal Arena.

Polina Shemanova and Ella Saada combined for 33 of Syracuse's 58 kills. Shemanova recorded 19 followed by Saada's 14. Amber Witherspoon and Santita Ebangwese each recorded eight kills while Dana Valelly surpassed her career-high with 29 assists. Aliah Bowllan matched her career-high with 20 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Louisville (17-6, 10-2 ACC) opened the fifth set with a 4-1 lead. Three quick points out of a timeout, including a block from Amber Witherspoon and Christina Oyawale, gave Syracuse a 5-4 lead. The two teams traded four points back-and-forth, before three-consecutive Cardinal points put them ahead 9-7. In a fifth set that featured six ties and four lead changes, Syracuse took advantage of 10 Louisville errors. The Cardinals had six attack errors and four service errors, including one on match point, allowing the Orange to take the match.

After a closely contested first set, Syracuse quickly took control in the second with an 8-4 lead. Louisville's Melanie McHenry tied the match, 9-9, with three-consecutive kills. Following several long rallies, the Orange had three-straight points for a 14-11 lead. Up 18-15, Syracuse took a 5-1 run for its largest lead of the set, 22-16.

The Cardinals came out firing with a 6-1 lead in the third set. Syracuse took back the ball on a Cardinal serving error before Shemanova laid down a kill, cutting Louisville's lead in half, 6-3. A second Louisville service error helped the Orange cut the deficit to one, 7-8. Syracuse pulled within one three more times, but was unable to take the lead.

'Cuse opened the fourth set with a 9-4 lead, hitting a perfect 5-for-5. Louisville used two blocks to tighten the score, 11-8. Back-to-back kills from Ella Saada pushed Syracuse ahead 17-11. Out of a timeout, the Cardinals laid down a kill but were unable to create any more momentum as Ebangwese tipped one at the net. Syracuse hung on to a five-point lead despite Louisville's two consecutive kills on set point.

OF NOTE
Sunday's match marked the fifth this season for Syracuse against a top-25 team as the team searched for its first win over a ranked opponent since 2015. Syracuse last defeated a ranked opponent Nov. 27, 2015 when they swept then-No. 15 Louisville.

With a .299 hitting percentage, Syracuse is only the third team this season to record above a .295 hitting percentage against the Louisville defense.

UP NEXT
Syracuse has a short week as they return home Oct. 31 against Boston College. Wednesday's match will be broadcast on ACCN Extra with free admission for fans. Due to the men's basketball game on campus, free parking is available in the Manley North lot.