Balanced offense propels Syracuse to 3-set sweep over Clemson

Jalissa Trotter sprung high in the air, using all the force she could generate from her 5-foot-7 frame to peek over the net. The junior setter walloped the ball, which brushed off the fingertips of a Clemson player and out of play, ending the match. As the visitors looked on in dismay, Trotter shouted, flexed, and was mobbed by her teammates.

Trotter was one of four Syracuse (12-6, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) players to record six or more kills in a straight-set win against Clemson (5-12, 0-5) on Friday night at the Women’s Building. The Orange offense overpowered the Tigers throughout the match, as the visitors were unable to contain SU’s various weapons.

“It was hard for them to set up their defense,” Syracuse head coach Leonid Yelin said. “They didn’t know who was going to get it or when they were going to get it.”

SU’s established its balanced offense from the get-go, as four different players tallied kills before the Orange reached 10 points in the first set. From there, Christina Oyawale took charge. The redshirt junior finished the set with a team-high five kills and an .833 hitting percentage, including a cunning drop-shot that evaded four diving Tiger defenders to end the set, 25-17.

“(I was efficient) because of my connection with Jalissa” Oyawale said.

Oyawale ended the night with a career-best 11 kills, coming on just 12 attempts. Trotter, her supplier for much of the match, had a season-best six kills along with 24 assists. Coming off the heels of a four kill effort off 11 tries against Wake Forest, Trotter attempted 10 attacks for just the second time all season.

“I benefit my team where I am needed,” Trotter said. “If my team needs a kill, set me up. I’m ready. That’s all.”

Offensive inefficiency plagued Clemson, which converted 29 kills on 107 attack attempts. The .037 hitting percentage was the lowest of any of the Orange’s opponents all season.

The Orange exploited those misplays in the second set just as it had in the first, by establishing an early lead. SU’s hitters generated two 8-3 runs to that led to a 25-16 second set victory. After two sets, four different Syracuse players had five or more kills, including a perfect six kills on as many attempts by Santita Ebangwese.

The third set was the toughest of the day for the Orange. Four of SU’s first six points were Oyawale kills. Both teams traded points until the score was knotted at 14. Then, a Gorelina kill and three Clemson attack errors gave the hosts a four point advantage, which SU turned into a 25-21 set victory.

“The emotional level of the team keeps going up,” Yelin said.