Orange Overcome Wake Forest on Senior Day

Saturday, November 24

Syracuse, N.Y.

1 pm

Syracuse University

18-8 (14-4ACC)

Wake Forest

10-20 (5-13ACC)

Wake Forest

Syracuse

11/24/2018 5:36:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Polina Shemanova's 14 kills led Syracuse to a 3-1 victory over Wake Forest in Atlantic Coast Conference action. The Orange move to 18-8 overall and stand at 14-4 in the ACC, tying the programs most ACC wins in a single season from 2015.

Syracuse defeated Wake Forest (10-20, 5-13 ACC) by set scores of 22-25, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-16. Santita Ebangwese led the Orange with eight of the team's 13 blocks. Ebangwese and Ella Saada also recorded double-digit kills with 13 and 12, respectively.

Prior to the start of Saturday's match, Syracuse recognized its five graduating seniors – Ebangwese, Anastasiya Gorelina, Christina Oyawale, Jalissa Trotter and Amber Witherspoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Wake Forest used a 5-0 run in the first set to take the quick 6-3 lead. Syracuse was unable to string together multiple points until a pair of blocks followed back-to-back kills from Saada cut Wake Forest's lead to one, 18-17. Wake Forest shut down any comeback from the Orange with a 4-0 run, narrowly escaping the first set.

The Orange never trailed in the second set, holding Wake Forest to a .000 hitting percentage. Syracuse went on a 10-2 run to give themselves the early, 15-8, lead and would finish the set with a .435 hitting percentage.

Wake Forest held the lead through a majority of the third set. The Orange were able to force five ties but struggled to find the go-ahead point. Wake held a 20-16 lead, before Syracuse ended the set on a 9-1 run giving them the 25-21 set victory.

Eight of Ebangwese's 13 kills came in the fourth as she strung three-straight together giving Syracuse an early 7-5 lead. Back-to-back service aces for Wake Forest, pulled them within one, 12-11. The Orange responded with five-straight kills out of a timeout for the 17-11 lead and ended the set on another 5-0 run.

OF NOTE

Saturday's 13 blocks marked the 19^th game this season for the Orange with 10 or more blocks
Syracuse moves to 8-0 all-time against Wake Forest
Shemanova now has 425 kills this season, the most in a single-season by a Syracuse freshman. The 425 kills also rank 10^th all-time at Syracuse.
Aliah Bowllan led the Orange with a career-high 24 digs as the Syracuse defense held Wake Forest to a .101 hitting percentage.

UP NEXT
Syracuse will await the announcement of the NCAA Championship field Sunday, Nov. 25 with hopes of making the programs first tournament appearance. The hour-long selection show is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.