The five-set clash between the Orange and the Irish showcased how a true back-and-forth game is played, with the only major lead from either team coming in the middle of the third set with a seven-point Notre Dame advantage. The first set proved to be a point-by-point battle from both sides of the court, with the set finally being decided at the 28-point mark to Notre Dame's advantage.
A loss in the first set didn't hold down Syracuse, as the Orange bounced back to win the second,
25-21. Notre Dame continued to test Syracuse into extra points, but the Orange pulled through in the third set, winning 27-25.
The Irish built up momentum towards the end of the fourth set to win it 25-21 and force a fifth set. The neck-and-neck play continued into the final set, but the Orange pulled through to win 15-13.
Seniors Monika Salkute and Nicolette Serratore each tallied a season-high 19 kills, while senior setter Gosia Wlaszczuk posted a season-high and career-high 58 assists.
Sophomore libero Belle Sand also finished the afternoon with a new career-best under her belt, posting 26 digs. Sophomore Leah Levert and freshman Santita Ebangwese continued to prove their dominance at the net, racking up eight blocks apiece. Wlaszczuk and Salkute also got in on the blocking action, finishing with six and four blocks, respectively.
Notre Dame jumped out to a 7-3 lead but Syracuse quickly responded, knotting it up at the nine-point mark thanks to kills by Uattara, Salkute, and Serratore and a service ace by Wlaszczuk.
The Orange and the Irish continued to exchange points back and forth well into the final points of the set, tying it back up at the 23-point mark. With neither team letting up, a kill by Notre Dame and a kill by Uattara brought the score to 25 even. Knotting it up one last time at 26, an attack error by Syracuse and a kill by Notre Dame sealed an Irish victory in the opening set, 28-26.
The second set was played in similar fashion to the first, with each side battling for every point and neither team leading the other by more than three points for the majority of the set. Two kills by Serratore and a major block by Levert and Wlaszczuk gave the Orange the momentum it needed to finish strong in the final points of the set. A kill by Wlaszczuk capped the second set victory for the Orange, 25-21.
Notre Dame took the lead early on in the third set, starting off with a 3-0 lead that built into a steady lead into the middle of the set. The Irish went on a 6-1 run to put them up by six at the 11-5 mark, but the Orange continued to fight back, going on a mini-run to bring them within two, 15-13.
Back-to-back kills by Serratore evened the score at 15, marking the start of a back-and-forth battle between the Orange and the Irish. With the score tied at 22, an error on Syracuse's end and a kill by Notre Dame put the Irish at game point. Salkute came up strong in the final points, producing three kills in a row to tie it at 25. Two successive unforced errors made by Notre Dame finalized a Syracuse victory in the third set, 27-25.
The Orange and the Irish continued the seesaw play well into the fourth set, with the largest lead of the game coming from Syracuse at the 9-6 mark. The Irish began to turn up the heat heading into the final five points of the game, pulling away at the 22-19 mark with consecutive kills made by Notre Dame. Another kill by the Irish and a service ace put Notre Dame up 24-20. Mariia Levanova answered with a kill, but the Irish answered right back with a kill for a 25-21 Notre Dame victory to force a fifth and final set.
Two sets of errors made by both teams started off the final set, but the Orange stepped up offensively, answering with a trio of kills to put Syracuse up 6-3. With the Orange up 11-7, the Irish started to build the momentum, going on a 5-0 run to put Notre Dame up by one point, 12-11. Syracuse kills by Serratore and Salkute and another kill by Notre Dame tied it at 13, but an error committed by the Irish and a kill from Levanova sealed a hard-fought Orange victory, 15-13.
The Orange returns home this weekend hosting Pittsburgh on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Women's Building. On Sunday, Syracuse returns to the Women's Building, taking on Virginia Tech at 1 p.m. Both games are free admission.
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