Syracuse extends win streak to 4 with comeback win at Boston College
After winning three straight games over North Carolina State, Notre Dame and Louisville, Syracuse (9-11, 6-7 Atlantic Coast) extended its win streak to four in a come-from-behind, five-set victory over Boston College (17-9, 8-5) on Wednesday. The four-game win streak is Syracuse’s longest of the season.
“Boston College is a much better team than they’ve been in the past year,” said assistant coach Derryk Williams. “Hopefully the team responds and we’re ready to go.”
Sophomore outside hitter Polina Shemanova — the reigning ACC player of the week — followed her record-breaking performance on Sunday against Louisville with another dominant performance. The conference’s points leader recorded 32 kills, 14 digs and three service aces in the win.
In the first set, Syracuse struggled with BC’s high-tempo offense, as Syracuse’s defense couldn’t contain the Eagles’ outside hitters, Clare Naughton and Jewel Strawberry. The two combined for 11 kills in the first set. The Golden Eagles also capitalized on seven Orange attacking errors. Boston College took the set with a Naughton kill, 19-25.
In the second set, SU’s attacking play was sharp, as they only committed two errors. Shemanova recorded six kills in the set. Syracuse middle blockers Abby Casiano and Dana Gardner also impressed in the set, as they held BC star hitter Amaka Chukwujekwu to just one kill. Shemanova would end the 25-17 set with an ace.
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With the match tied at one set apiece, Boston College took the third set behind two service aces from Madison McKnight and Jane DeJarld. Seven attacking errors also put Syracuse into an early deficit, as a comeback rally was too late in a 25-21 loss.
In the fourth set, Boston College jumped out to 17 to 15 lead, but great attacking play from junior Ella Saada and Shemanova helped Syracuse keep pace with BC. With the Orange down one, 19-18, sophomore setter Elena Karakasi delivered a pass to Shemanova on the left, which Shemanova converted into a kill to tie the game at 19. After that crucial point, Syracuse went on a 6-1 scoring run, pushing the match to a fifth set with a slick kill from Casiano, 20-25.
Errors were down in the fourth set as well, as Syracuse only recorded two attacking errors in the set.
Syracuse took the momentum from the fourth and converted it into a dominant fifth set performance. The Orange jumped to a 9-3 lead, as several BC attacking errors and back-to-back kills from Casiano and Saada forced a timeout from BC head coach Jason Kennedy.
Coming out of the timeout, Karakasi slotted in a kill from the middle to push the lead to seven. Later in the set, Boston College sliced SU’s lead to 12-7 with a kill from Chukwujekwu. But back-to-back kills from Shemanova put set into match-point. Syracuse won the set on a Chukwujekwu attacking error.
SU head coach Leonid Yelin and Syracuse will look to push the winning streak to five against Virginia Tech this upcoming Sunday at the Women’s Building.