Orange Open Weekend in North Carolina With Loss

Friday, October 25

Chapel Hill, NC

7 pm

Syracuse University

5-11, 2-7ACC

North Carolina

9-10, 6-3ACC

Syracuse

North Carolina

10/25/2019 9:55:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Polina Shemanova recorded 23 kills and three service aces as Syracuse volleyball (5-11, 2-7 ACC) lost on Friday night, 3-1, to North Carolina (9-10, 6-3 ACC). Facing a sweep, the Orange took the third set by a score of 25-21 but lost by scores of 21-25, 23-25 and 17-25. The loss was the third in a row for Syracuse while the Tar Heels grabbed their second straight win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Kills from Shemanova, Elena Karakasi, Dana Gardner, Abby Casiano and Kendra Lukacs kept the opening set close, but with a 13-12 lead North Carolina gave itself some room with a 5-0 run. The Orange responded with a 3-0 run of their own, capped off by a Shemanova service ace, to make the score 18-15. A pair of kills from Ella Saada left 'Cuse down only 20-18, but two kills from Tar Heel senior Skylar Wine sealed the frame for her team.

After losing the first four points of the second stanza, six North Carolina attack errors helped the Orange go on an 8-0 scoring spree. The Tar Heels would rally to even the score at 19 and eventually took the set, 25-23, and a 2-0 lead in the match. Saada registered three of her six kills in the second set. Yuliia Yastrub also had a kill.

Two consecutive service aces from Shemanova had Syracuse out to a 5-2 lead in the third set. North Carolina battled to take a 7-6 lead, but Berkley Hayes posted two straight service aces to give the Orange a 12-9 advantage shortly after. Syracuse built a 20-14 lead that was cut to 21-19, but kills from Yastrub, Casiano and Shemanova secured the set for 'Cuse, extending the match.

The Tar Heels took control of the fourth and final set by jumping out to an early 6-2 lead. The Orange were never able to get within three points and North Carolina clinched the match by winning the set, 25-17.

NOTEWORTHY
Casiano had accumulated 22 kills all season before posting a career-high seven kills on Friday night in Chapel Hill. Gardner posted three kills and six total blocks, both career-highs.

Karakasi, who leads the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in kills and kills per set in conference matches, had five kills.

WHAT'S NEXT
Syracuse's next match is only a short drive away, as the Orange take on NC State in Raleigh this Sunday at 1 p.m. The match is available to stream on ACC Network Extra. This will be the last contest of a four-game road trip as 'Cuse plays host to Notre Dame and Louisville next weekend.

For continued coverage of Syracuse volleyball, follow us on Twitter (@CuseVB), Instagram (@cusevb) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Volleyball).