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Syracuse has faced a daunting lineup of ranked opponents since entering Atlantic Coast Conference play, facing five top-20 teams. The Orange haven’t won a single set.

SU’s (13-12, 1-12 ACC) latest ranked straight-set loss came against No. 4 Louisville (20-3, 12-1 ACC). Still, head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam felt the Orange played a strong game.

“I thought overall, we served the ball really well,” Ganesharatnam said. “And the middle, on the other hand, did a really good job transitioning, making themselves available, staying off the net, creating good angles for the attacks.”

Syracuse’s first ranked loss came in three straight sets against then-No. 17 SMU, showing early issues in execution and maintaining momentum.

“There were some errors we made today that we could have prevented from happening,” Ganesharatnam said after the match against SMU, which the team ultimately lost 25-15, 25-17 and 25-22.

The Orange then lost in the same manner to then-No. 1 Pittsburgh, a tough opponent that prompted Ganesharatnam to try out new rotations. However, making the changes proved unsuccessful, as they lost 25-11, 25-18 and 25-14.

The losses continued with then-No. 5 Stanford, followed by then-No. 19 Florida State. Most recently, SU fell to the Cardinals, its fifth match against a ranked team that resulted in zero set wins for the Orange.

“It’s not just that we’ve played ranked opponents, we’ve played highly-ranked opponents,” Ganesharatnam said. “We want to get a win, but I think at the same time, we have to be realistic with where we are and where (other teams) are.”

Syracuse played its worst set of the season against Stanford, losing 25-8 while recording only 17 kills. However, in its most recent match against Louisville, SU recorded 29 kills.

Similarly, Syracuse recorded 109 attacks against Louisville and only 84 against SMU. Additionally, the Orange recorded more digs, sets and serves, and had a higher attacking percentages against Louisville compared to the match against Pitt.

Ganesharatnam explained the biggest difference between playing top-five teams versus top-20 teams lies in consistency. He noted the Orange “have gotten to a point where we do some really good things but we need to be more consistent with that. That’s the difference.”

Several individual players have stepped up and showcased their development against top opponents, even as SU struggled to secure wins.

Middle blocker Zharia Harris-Waddy has become a strong offensive force, improving with almost every match. She recorded three kills against Pitt, five against Florida State and six against Louisville.

Setter Veronica Sierzant has also shown significant power on the court. Against Louisville, Sierzant was the only setter who played for SU, something she’s become used to.

Sierzant’s performance is also a nod to injured teammates Klara Zarnovicka and Elizabeth Schuster, who will not return this season.

“It’s the sport I love, so why be stressed about (volleyball) when (I) get to do it every day?” Sierzant said. “I play for Klara and Liz, who can’t play because they tore their ACLs and their careers are done.”

Looking ahead, Syracuse is scheduled to play only one more match against a ranked team, No. 16 Georgia Tech next Friday.

Ganesharatnam is prepared to take on the Yellow Jackets, focusing on the team’s evolution and maintaining its improvement from match to match.

“I think we need to be humble enough and show humility and understand where we came from and where we want to go,” Ganesharatnam added. “But also what path we’re on and the road we’re taking to get there.”

Published on November 8, 2024 at 10:58 pm

Contact Vivian: vpcollins06@gmail.com