Volleyball Sweeps Georgia Tech to Win Fourth-Straight

Sunday, November 11

Atlanta, GA

1 pm

Syracuse University

16-7, 12-3ACC

Georgia Tech

16-12, 5-10ACC

Syracuse

Georgia Tech

Volleyball Sweeps Georgia Tech to Win Fourth-Straight

11/11/2018 3:27:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

ATLANTA – Double-digit kills from Polina Shemanova and Amber Witherspoon helped the Syracuse volleyball team sweep Georgia Tech for the second time this season. The Orange earned their fourth-straight victory by set scores of 29-27, 25-21 and 25-18.

Shemanova had the most efficient performance of her career tallying 16 kills on 26 attacks and finishing the day with a .500 hitting percentage. She added a match-high 15 digs. Amber Witherspoon totaled 12 kills with a hitting .556 for the second-straight match.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Shemanova led Syracuse (16-7, 12-3 ACC) early tallying six kills on 10 attacks in a tight first set. The first set featured 19 ties and seven lead changes between the two teams. With the match tied at 22, both teams struggled to create any distance. Following a kill from Witherspoon, 'Cuse took a 24-23 lead on a block from Santita Ebangwese and Yuliia Yastrub. After Georgia Tech (16-12, 5-10 ACC) once again tied the set, Shemanova's sixth kill of the match was followed by a ball handling error from the Yellow Jackets, sealing the first set victory for the Orange.

Georgia Tech took what looked to be a dominating 7-3 lead to open the second set. A kill from Witherspoon followed by two Georgia Tech attack errors pulled the Orange within one, 7-6. Back-to-back kills from Ebangwese highlighted a 6-1 run for 'Cuse that gave the Orange their first lead of the set, 9-8. The run extended out to a 14-9 Syracuse lead before tacking on another 5-0 run moving ahead 20-11. The Yellow Jackets responded out of their final timeout with a 5-1 run that narrowed the score, 21-16. Georgia Tech pulled within three, 24-21, before Ebangwese ended the set with a kill.

The Yellow Jackets used a 6-1 run to tie the third set, 14-14, but Witherspoon got her hands on back-to-back blocks to help the Orange move ahead 17-14. Shemanova notched two straight kills in the middle of a 5-0 run that gave Syracuse a 19-14 lead and helped secure the sweep.

OF NOTE
The Orange entered Sunday leading the series, 5-4, but had not won at Georgia Tech prior to today's victory. Syracuse led in every statistical category, including out-blocking the Yellow Jackets eight to five. For the first time this season, Yastrub led the blocking effort with six followed by Witherspoon's five.

Four attackers – Shemanova, Witherspoon, Santita Ebangwese and Ella Saada – combined for 43 of the Orange's 45 kills. Ebangwese and Saada had eight and seven kills, respectively.

UP NEXT
The Orange return home Nov. 18 to host Virginia Tech as they look to defeat the Hokies for the second time in two weeks. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. in the Women's Building with free admission.

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