Syracuse Wins Pair To Open Season At Salt City Classic

Friday, August 30

Syracuse, NY

11 a.m.

Syracuse University

1-0,0-0ACC

NJIT

0-1,0-0America East

NJIT

Syracuse

Syracuse Wins Pair To Open Season At Salt City Classic

8/30/2024 10:54:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University volleyball team (2-0) delivered a pair of victories at the Women's Building to open its 2024 campaign on Friday, as the Orange defeated NJIT and Lafayette on the opening day of the Salt City Classic.

The Orange started off the day with a convincing sweep of the Highlanders before besting the Leopards 3-1 in the nightcap.

HOW IT HAPPENED – NJIT
The Orange jumped out to an early 9-4 lead in their fist set of the season. Syracuse maintained at least a three-point lead for the remainder of the set, and a late 5-0 run helped the Orange go ahead 22-13. A kill by Sydney Moore secured a 25-15 win for the Orange. 'Cuse registered 12 kills in the opening set, led by Ava Palm's four and Sara Wasiakowska's three.

Syracuse and NJIT traded points early in the second set before Syracuse took control with a 5-0 run sparked by a pair of Palm kills. The Orange offense was balanced and efficient throughout the set, as the team hit .375 and had five players record multiple kills. A final kill by Skylar George secured a 25-14 victory.

Much like the second set, the beginning of the third was a back-and-forth affair before a 'Cuse scoring run put the Orange in front. Two kills by Palm helped Syracuse establish a 14-7 advantage and the Orange never looked back from there. Syracuse won the final four points to win a commanding 25-12 set and claim their first win of the season.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS – NJIT

Ava Palm led the Orange with 13 kills in her debut with the team. She hit .385 for the match and added seven digs and three blocks.
Veronica Sierzant came one assist away from matching her career high, as the sophomore paced the Orange with 26 helpers. This was the third time Sierzant has surpassed 20 assists in her young career.
Sara Wasiakowska was both productive and efficient up front for the Orange, notching nine kills, five blocks, five digs and a team-best three aces. The grad transfer hit .533 for the match, converting nine of her 15 attacks into kills.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova posted four kills and four blocks in her Syracuse debut while hitting .500.
Greta Schlichter tied Wasiakowska for the second most Syracuse digs in the match with five.
As a team, the Orange finished the match with 15 blocks, the team's most in a match since notching 18 against Hartford on Sept. 4, 2021. Sydney Moore led the way with eight, which was one short of her career best. Five players had multiple block assists.
Syracuse hit .320 as a team in the match, its best hitting percentage since Nov. 13, 2022, against Boston College.
The Orange finished with a 35-16 advantage in kills.

HOW IT HAPPENED – LAFAYETTE
The Orange picked up where they left off in their night match against Lafayette. With 'Cuse up 10-9 in the frame, the Orange went on an 8-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to nine points. Ava Palm had three kills to fuel the run. Syracuse then finished on a 5-0 run led by a pair of Sara Wasiakowska kills and one by Sydney Moore to earn a 25-13 victory.

Syracuse went ahead early in the second but the Leopards battle back to take an 11-10 lead. The Orange answered with a 3-0 run behind kills from Skylar George, Palm and Moore to retake the lead, which they would not relinquish the rest of the set. George provided a spark for the Orange late in the set, with three important kills that helped Syracuse win the second, 25-19.

The Orange got out to an early 7-4 lead in the third set, but Lafayette stormed back, going up 19-11. Klara Zarnovicka provided a late boost in the set with three kills, but Syracuse's comeback full just short, with Lafayette winning the frame 25-21 to extend the contest.

Zarnovicka continued her great play early in the fourth, registering two early kills to help put the Orange ahead. The Leopards briefly tied the score, but Syracuse responded with a 7-1 run that featured two George kills and another by Zarnovicka to take a 16-8 advantage. Another 5-0 run later in the set helped 'Cuse slam the door shut, and an Anastasiia Nikolnikova kill sealed a four-set Syracuse win.

NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS – LAFAYETTE

Veronica Sierzant posted a career-best 31 assists in another strong performance setting. The sophomore had never previously surpassed 30 assists.
For the second straight match, Ava Palm paced the Orange in kills with 14. She also pitched in eight digs.
Sydney Moore was a force up front for the Orange, tallying 11 kills and five blocks.
Skylar George tallied 11 kills while hitting .435. She also added 10 digs for the first double-double of her career.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova and Sara Wasiakowska were both part of a strong collective effort from Syracuse's middles. Wasiakowska finished with six kills and Nikolnikova had five kills to go along with four blocks.
Five 'Cuse players finished with at least six digs – Emma Ortiz (9), George (9), Palm (8), Sierzant (6) and Greta Schlichter (6).
After entering the match in the third set, Klara Zarnovicka provided an instant spark for the Orange. She tallied six kills on eight swings and had a team-high two aces.
Syracuse hit above .300 again for the second straight match, marking the first time the team has accomplished that feat since the 2021 season.
In the second set alone, Syracuse had 19 kills while hitting .500.
Syracuse matched its total in blocks from the NJIT match with another 12 against the Leopards.
The Orange outpaced Lafayette in kills (52-37), blocks (12-5), assists (43-30) and digs (44-32).

UP NEXT
Syracuse will wrap up the Salt City Classic tomorrow with a 7:30 match against Canisius. The contest will be played on the campus of Le Moyne College at Ted Grant Court.

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