Orange's 19 Blocks Stifles Virginia Tech in 3-1 Victory

Friday, November 2

Blacksburg, VA

6 pm

Syracuse University

15-7, 10-3ACC

Virginia Tech

13-12, 4-9ACC

Syracuse

Virginia Tech

Orange's 19 Blocks Stifles Virginia Tech in 3-1 Victory

11/2/2018 9:28:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Syracuse University volleyball team's 19 blocks stifled the Virginia Tech attack Friday evening in a 3-1 win. In their third-straight victory, the Orange also recorded a season-high nine service aces to win by set scores of 25-16, 23-25, 25-20 and 25-10..

Amber Witherspoon led the Orange with 14 blocks, the most in a single-match from any player in the ACC this season. The trio of Polina Shemanova, Santita Ebangwese and Witherspoon notched double-digit kills with 12, 11, and 10, respectively. Ebangwese had an error-less night with a .733 hitting percentage on 15 attacks.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Syracuse (15-7, 11-3 ACC) took an early 5-0 run in the first set for an 8-4 lead. The Hokies came back with three consecutive points, pulling within one, 8-7. Virginia Tech finally tied it, 11-11, on back-to-back kills from Jalia Tolbert. A 6-1 run put the Orange up 18-13, solidifying the victory. Witherspoon led Syracuse with four of the teams five blocks.

Virginia Tech (13-12, 4-9 ACC) used a pair of 3-0 runs to open the second set with a 7-4 lead. After inching their way back into the set, 'Cuse tied the set, 17-17, with back-to-back blocks and a service ace from Polina Shemanova. Following several back-and-forth points, Virginia Tech sealed the set with its lone block of the night from Ester Talmazzi.

The Orange cruised to a 16-9 lead in the third set before Virginia Tech took advantage of four Syracuse errors to pull within three, 17-14. The errors turned around costing the Hokies six points, allowing Ella Saada to spike the set-winning kill.

A fourth-set, season-high, .609 hitting percentage propelled the Orange to the 25-10 victory in the final set.

OF NOTE
Syracuse's 19 blocks tie for the second-most this season in the ACC and the eighth match this season with 15 or more blocks. The Orange held Virginia Tech to a season-low .070 hitting percentage despite the Hokies tallying more kills.