Syracuse falls 3-1 to No. 21 North Carolina, drops to .500 in ACC play
Syracuse secured its first set win over a ranked opponent since 2022, but fell 3-1 to No. 21 North Carolina at home. Sean Aldridge | Contributing Photographer
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Coming off a dominant three-set sweep over Duke, Syracuse entered its Sunday match against No. 21 North Carolina with confidence. It was the Orange’s first conference sweep since 2022, and they entered the game carrying a 4-3 record in conference play — their most wins in Atlantic Coast Conference play since that same year.
But it remained to be seen if their success was just a facade. The Blue Devils — with a 5-13 record — didn’t represent a true test for SU. A win was expected then. It wasn’t expected against the Tar Heels.
If the Orange could secure a victory over a ranked opponent, it would’ve cemented their status as ACC contenders. If they were utterly dominated, it would’ve revealed Syracuse’s success to be nothing but a mirage. So, how would SU respond to its litmus test?
The answer was a mix of both. Syracuse (12-6, 4-4 ACC) competed early to take a set from North Carolina (15-2, 8-0 ACC) on Sunday, but it ultimately fell 3-1 and failed to complete its upset bid. Despite the loss, it was the first time the Orange won a set against a ranked opponent since 2021, representing a clear sign of progress for the team. Gabriella McLaughlin led the way for SU with 14 kills, while Skylar George chipped in with 12 of her own.
“We’ve improved a lot,” McLaughlin said. “All the teams we’ve faced in conference have been really great competition, and this was our third ranked opponent. We’re improving every time we play.”
The Orange came out aggressively from the opening serve. Buoyed by two quick kills by McLaughlin, Syracuse jumped out to a 5–2 lead. But UNC answered, with Chelsea Thorpe and Safi Hampton equalizing the game at 7-7 after a pair of Syracuse errors.
After George reclaimed a 13-11 lead for SU, UNC fought back behind Hampton’s two kills and an ace from Mackenzie Boyer to push ahead 16–13.
Yet, Syracuse refused to fold. Sydnie Waller earned her third kill to cut the score to 18–17, and after a net challenge late in the set, the call was overturned in Syracuse’s favor, pulling them within a point. But UNC’s experience pushed it ahead, with Thorpe earning two straight points to take the opener 25–23.
The Tar Heels continued to apply pressure early in the second set. Thanks to dominant efforts from Thorpe, Hampton and Julia Bohlinger at the net, UNC pushed ahead 13–7.
Syracuse responded ferociously, though. Waller notched her fourth kill, Soana Lea’ea added her second and McLaughlin chipped in with a tip and a kill. Despite trailing 15–9, Syracuse went on a furious run, capped off by a huge block from McLaughlin that tied the set at 16.
Seven points later, George’s fifth kill gave the Orange their first lead of the set at 23–22. A UNC service error sealed the comeback, giving Syracuse their first set win against a ranked opponent in four years.
“I thought both teams played at a high level, especially in the first two sets,” Syracuse head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam said. “I do want to give my team props, because they stayed in those sets and tried to compete.”
It was all downhill from there. In the third set, after a brief flurry of points allowed SU to go up 7-6, mistakes on both sides allowed the Tar Heels to run away with a 19-10 advantage. Thorpe continued to dominate throughout, finishing the set with 12 kills, and North Carolina sealed a 25-14 set win to go up 2-1.
“I think UNC did a good job diversifying the offense, getting more players involved, especially the right sides and the middles, which put pressure on our defense,” Ganesharatnam said. “It was tough for us to manage the runs in the third and fourth sets.”
By the time the fourth set rolled around, there was zero doubt about the match’s outcome. North Carolina asserted its dominance early in the decisive set, and it never let its foot off the gas.
Early on, Thorpe and Hampton alternated kills to push UNC to an 11-4 lead. Thorpe continued her dominant play to extend the Tar Heels’ advantage, notching her 15th kill to stretch the lead to 19-10. While Waller gave Syracuse a brief spark with her sixth kill, Hampton secured the set — and the victory — with a kill for UNC.
Riding the high of its dominant victory over Duke, Sunday’s contest was far from an ideal result for Syracuse. But Ganesharatnam continued to remain encouraged by his team’s effort, praising SU’s grit and determination against a formidable opponent.
He wasn’t alone in that sentiment. As Lea’ea reflected on the loss, she felt nothing but satisfaction in the team’s effort. In her eyes, the defeat proved that SU can compete in any contest that it plays.
“In games like these, it just shows how much we can do, no matter who’s on the other side of the court,” Lea’ea said.
