Demon Deacons Spoil Home Opener For Volleyball

Friday, October 4

Syracuse, NY

7 pm

Syracuse University

4-5

Wake Forest

10-4

Wake Forest

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

10/4/2019 10:29:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery Highlights

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the first time in front of a home crowd in 2019, Syracuse volleyball (4-6, 1-2 ACC) lost to Wake Forest (11-3, 1-2 ACC) in four sets on Friday night. After dropping the first set, the Orange tied the match at one before the Demon Deacons won the final two sets to take the victory. The match was the first of four consecutive home matches for Syracuse. The had won four of its previous five home openers prior to Friday night.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Wake Forest got off to a fast start in the first set, jumping out to an 8-3 lead on the Orange. After head coach Leonid Yelin called a timeout, the Orange were able to climb back and close the deficit to just one point at 9-8 with the help of three kills and a service ace by Polina Shemanova. The Demon Deacons, however, would fight back to take a 24-16 lead and were able to withstand a few late kills by Shemanova and Marina Markova to win the set, 25-19. Junior Ella Saada led the Orange with seven kills in the first set.

Syracuse jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the second set, before Wake Forest fought back to tie it at 10. Kills from Shemanova and Saada as well as a block by Elena Karakasi helped the Orange take a 22-17 lead and force a Wake Forest timeout. Two more kills by Karakasi would help Syracuse score four straight points to win the set, 25-17, and tie the match at one.

Wake Forest was in control for most of the third set, taking a 9-5 lead before the Orange responded with a 6-2 run. However, the Demon Deacons didn't waver and finished the set on a 14-8 scoring run to win the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The fourth set was tight throughout. Neither team led by more than two points and Syracuse forced a Wake Forest timeout after taking a 16-15 lead after kills by Saada and Karakasi. The set remained close as the Demon Deacons came back to take a 19-18 lead. A block by freshman Izzy Plummer and a kill by Saada would jumpstart a 5-3 scoring run that put the Orange up 24-21, but Wake Forest responded with a 6-0 run to win the set and close out the match.

NOTEWORTHY
Saada's 21 kills tied a career high. The junior also had 21 kills in Syracuse's win at Clemson last Sunday. She also recorded seven digs and assist.

Shemanova recorded 17 kills and 12 digs in the loss. The sophomore leads the Orange with 165 kills and 95 digs on the season.

Syracuse is now 1-2 in ACC play, with a win against Clemson and losses against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

Syracuse lost the match despite finishing with more kills and assists than Wake Forest. The Orange are now 4-2 on the season when recording more kills and assists than their opponent.

BY THE NUMBERS
KILLS: Syracuse 58, Wake Forest 37
ACES: Syracuse 4, Wake Forest 10
BLOCKS: Syracuse 12, Wake Forest 13
ASSISTS: Syracuse 53, Wake Forest 34
DIGS: Syracuse 45, Wake Forest 42

WHAT'S NEXT
The Orange continue their homestand on Sunday, Oct. 6 as they host Duke (7-8, 0-2 ACC) at the SU Women's Building at 1 p.m. Admission and parking to the match are free. The match will be broadcast live on YES Network.

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