Syracuse falls to Georgia Tech 3-0 for 5th straight loss
Syracuse performed in spurts, but ultimately lost to Georgia Tech 3-0 behind its 29.7 hitting percentage Sunday. Tara DeLuca | Staff Photographer
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Although Syracuse was picked second-to-last in the Atlantic Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the team surprised many in the early stages of conference play. The Orange are often physically out-matched in the ACC, but the team has made up for it with sheer grit on both sides of the court.
But in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Orange appear to be running out of gas.
Syracuse has been thoroughly outmatched on both sides of the ball in its past four games. Defensively, the Orange have been torn apart – opponents have hit a combined 29% in that span.
Syracuse’s struggles on the other side of the court have been even more pronounced: the team has hit at a 15.9% clip, which dropped the Orange to 16th in the ACC in hitting percentage.
Winning in the Atlantic Coast Conference is tough as is, but winning without an identity on either side of the ball is nearly impossible. On Sunday, the Orange’s losing streak extended to five, as Syracuse (13-11, 5-9 Atlantic Coast) was dominated by Georgia Tech (13-10, 8-6 Atlantic Coast) in straight sets. For the fifth straight game, SU failed to register a higher hitting percentage than its opponent.
There were times I think we executed at a higher quality level than we did on Friday,” Ganesharatnam said. “However, I think it was very hard to sustain that consistently, and I think that’s the key against Georgia Tech.”
Ganesharatnam is exactly right in his assessment. Georgia Tech boasts one of the most balanced attacks in the country. To beat the Yellow Jackets, consistency is paramount. It doesn’t have a star like Miami’s Heredia Colon – six players have registered over 100 kills on the season.
That balanced offense has propelled Georgia Tech to the sixth-best hitting percentage in conference play (25.5%). The offense showed no sign of slowing down in the first set, hitting .344 to Syracuse’s .200.
Before the Orange could get settled in, Georgia Tech barraged them with three straight points, capped off by a Lameen Mambu spike down the line.
While Gabriella McLaughlin struggled offensively in recent games, the Nevada transfer did her best to make up for it defensively on Friday, registering 12 digs.
Today, McLaughlin’s outside hitting partner, Skylar George, showcased her defensive versatility in the first set. After a pair of digs, her second flew over the head of every Georgia Tech player, landing softly in the back left corner to make it 6-4.
McLaughlin’s aforementioned offensive struggles (7.8% in the last five games) created an opportunity for Syracuse’s middles to get involved, a focal point that Ganesharantam emphasized heading into Sunday.
“We wanted to get the middles more involved, coming into the match. I thought both middles did a really good job, transitioning, and making themselves available,” Ganesharatnam said.
His strategy paid off, as Lea’ea notched five first-set kills to give SU a chance to get back into the set. The Las Vegas, Nevada, native cut the Georgia Tech lead to 14-11 after she fired the ball directly at Bianca Garibaldi.
“I think Soana being very good today is an understatement, actually. I thought she was terrific today,” Ganesharatnam said.
From there, however, Georgia Tech’s offense began to establish itself. A 5-0 run brought it to set point, and after Marie Laurio’s serve failed to get over the net, the Yellow Jackets took a 1-0 match lead.
If Ganesharatnam’s plan to get the middles involved was not clear initially, Lea’ea made it evident to start the second set. A kill on a slide play gave SU a 4-3 lead, and three points later, tied the set up at five apiece. But, as was the case in the first set, a Yellow Jacket scoring run hampered SU’s chances.
Heloise Soares is known for her ability to distribute, as her 10.7 assists per game rank second in ACC play. But an ace from the star setter landed at the feet of Rana Yamada to make it 10-5. Back-to-back Garibaldi kills extended Georgia Tech’s scoring run to 8-0, giving the Yellow Jackets a 13-5 lead.
GT never relinquished that advantage, continuing to hit at a high percentage and get clear openings to attack from due to little resistance from the Syracuse front line at the net. Mambu, who totaled 15 kills against the Orange, capitalized on that opening by firing it cross-court to put Georgia Tech one set away from victory.
Syracuse’s 18.7 hitting percentage was its best since its win at Boston College, but, like in the previous two sets, it could not make up for a Yellow Jacket offense that got any shot it wanted all afternoon.
GT raced out to an early 7-3 lead, which grew to 13-7 after a couple of heroic dig attempts from Sofia Velez set up Fiedorowicz for a kill. A late 3-0 SU run put pressure on Georgia Tech to respond, but Garibaldi did exactly that, firing it from the middle to give Georgia Tech the straight sets victory.
“I think the team dynamic is very healthy. If we weren’t in a situation where that’s the case, it would be much tougher to work together to find solutions,” Ganesharatnam said. “But I feel like we’re doing the best we can to be as productive as possible.”
