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Syracuse’s recent matches have amplified a growing trend for SU: nonconference domination and intra-conference struggles. Since 2023, the Orange are an impressive 20-3 in nonconference play. However, they’re just 9-23 outside of the Atlantic Coast Conference in that stretch.

SU’s recent West Coast trip was just another chapter in its book of ACC losses. Syracuse was dominated in a 4-1 loss to Stanford on March 7, and followed that up with a 5-2 defeat to California the next day.

Friday afternoon’s clash with Georgia Tech gave the Orange an opportunity to snap their two-game skid. While it was more competitive than its last two games, SU couldn’t overcome a potent Yellow Jackets team. Syracuse (8-6, 1-6 Atlantic Coast) fell to Georgia Tech (9-7, 3-3 Atlantic Coast) 4-2, losing the doubles point and three singles matches.

“I’m very proud of the team,” head coach Younes Limam said. “I think we put ourselves in position to win this match against a very good Georgia Tech team.”

After downing Duke’s No. 1 double on Feb. 23, Syracuse’s No. 1 doubles duo of Miyuka Kimoto and Nelly Knezkova had lost three straight coming into Friday. And against Georgia Tech’s Kylie Bilchev and Scarlett Nicholson, that trend continued.

With the Yellow Jackets up 5-3 and on the verge of taking the set, Knezkova scanned the court and let an errant shot bounce out of play. However, SU’s momentum didn’t last long. With the game knotted at 40, Syracuse’s shot hit the middle of the net, handing the Yellow Jackets the set.

Similar to Kimoto and Knezkova, SU’s No. 2 duo of Constance Levivier and Anastasia Sysoeva saw their doubles success come to a halt against Stanford and Cal. Looking to bounce back, the pairing faced Georgia Tech’s Alejandra Cruz and Given Roach.

From positioning to returns, they looked a step behind Georgia Tech all match. Though Syracuse battled and didn’t let the set get out of hand, the Yellow Jackets prevailed with a 6-4 win, clinching the doubles point.

In the No. 3 doubles matchup, the Orange’s tandem of Serafima Shastova and Monika Wojcik aimed to build off their victory against the Golden Bears and improve to 5-2 together.

Through three points, it was all GT. Wojcik struggled keeping the ball in play, and Syracuse quickly trailed 3-0. While the duo succeeded at times, they were overpowered for the majority of the set and fell 6-1.

Other than one blemish against Boston College on Feb. 9, Knezkova had been practically perfect in singles leading up to the Stanford match. She boasted an 8-1 record and showed little signs of slowing down.

Like many of her teammates, Knezkova struggled out West. The sophomore was overmatched by both Cal and Stanford, and fell to 8-3 in singles on the season.

Down 3-1 in the first set, she cut her deficit in half using a mixture of strokes to ace Nicholson. But despite Knezova’s awareness and patience throughout the rest of the set, Nicholson still reigned victorious 6-3. In the second set, Nicholson took a 1-0 lead and never looked back, claiming the victory 6-3, 6-2.

In the No. 2 singles matchup, Miyuka Kimoto aimed to snap her four-game singles losing streak when she took on Alejandra Cruz. Early in the first set, Kimoto fell down 1-0 after three consecutive shots sailed out of play. Cruz took control soon after en route to a 6-1 set victory.

In contrast to the first set, Kimoto was competitive for much of the second. She rallied to cut Cruz’s lead to one, but couldn’t prevail as GT won 6-1, 6-3.

Shastova brought a two-game win streak into Friday’s contest in the No. 3 singles. She held an early 2-0 lead over Georgia Tech’s Roach, but quickly surrendered it as the Yellow Jackets stormed in front 3-2.

With the first set tied at six, Shastova watched Roach slam her racket into the fence after she couldn’t track a forehand. Soon after, SU nabbed the victory. After the second set was deadlocked at two, Shastova notched four straight points off forehands and volleys to give her the 7-6, 6-2 win.

Anastasia Sysoeva’s singles play has been one of SU’s biggest weaknesses this season. She came into Friday 2-9 in singles in 2025. Propelled by high-level patience and strong strokes, she burst out to a 4-0 lead in No. 4 singles. However, Georgia Tech’s Taly Licht took control late for a 7-5 first-set victory.

Following Sysoeva’s commanding 6-1 win to even the match, Licht briefly fell behind 3-2 in the tie-breaking set. But Licht regained the lead and put Sysoeva on the cusp of her 10th singles loss of the year. Down 5-3, Sysoeva nearly aced Licht after a long rally, but her shot from the left corner landed out of bounds, giving Licht the win.

Shiori Ito took on Olivia Carneiro in the No. 5 singles matchup, looking for her eighth singles victory of the season. Ito cruised through the first set for a 6-1 victory, but fell behind 5-3 in the following one.

Tied at six, Carneiro looked down at the court in frustration as Ito took advantage of Georgia Tech’s missed opportunities to capture a victory.

Still, the bigger story was Syracuse’s overall loss. Despite a strong nonconference portion of its season, SU has struggled to put the pieces together in ACC play.

“We still have a lot to go and a big one on Sunday,” Limam said. “It’s important to have a short memory and move on.”

Published on March 21, 2025 at 9:16 pm
sabrod@syr.edu