No. 15 Miami overpowers Syracuse 3-1 behind Heredia Colon’s 33-kill game
SU fell 3-1 to No. 15 Miami Sunday afternoon. The Hurricanes were led by outside hitter Flormarie Heredia-Colon, who recorded 33 kills. Lindsey Baloun | Contributing Photographer
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Coming off a competitive four-set loss to Florida State on Friday, Syracuse entered its match against No. 15 Miami looking to regain momentum.
The Orange showed flashes early with aggressive serving, high energy and scrappy play at the net, but were unable to pull through against the Hurricanes’ power, speed and consistency.
Despite a quick start and an inspired first-set win, Syracuse (13-9, 5-7 ACC) couldn’t hold off No. 15 Miami (19-4, 9-3 ACC) and its relentless attack, falling 3-1 on Sunday afternoon. The Hurricanes were led by outside hitter Flormarie Heredia Colon, who recorded 33 kills on a .364 hitting percentage – her third-best performance in kills of the 2025 season.
The Hurricanes dominated offensively, outkilling Syracuse 67-38 and tallying a .303 hitting percentage to the Orange’s .151. While Tehya Maeva dished out 28 assists and earned a season-high six aces, the Hurricanes’ balance of killing domination and defensive coverage sealed the win.
Syracuse came out swinging in the opening set, led by Maeva’s early ace and Gabriella McLaughlin’s strong attacking performance. The Orange jumped ahead 9-7 before Miami clawed back behind kills from Ariana Rodriguez and Logan Wiley, which helped push the Hurricanes ahead 17-14.
Momentum shifted when McLaughlin earned a crucial kill that tied the set at 18 apiece. Skylar George, a spark plug on the outside, added several key kills late to keep Syracuse in the set. After trading set points, Maeva notched a service ace to give the Orange a 28-27 lead, and McLaughlin sealed the set with a kill – her fourth of the frame — to steal the first set 29-27.
Though Miami outkilled Syracuse 17-14 and held a 15-9 edge in digs, the Orange’s aggressive serving and higher hitting percentage (.343) gave them the opening set advantage.
The Hurricanes regrouped quickly, setting a faster tempo that left Syracuse scrambling. Miami’s defense came alive — Naylani Feliciano notched back-to-back points early, and Heredia Colon continued to crush from the back row.
By the midway point of the second set, Miami led 15-7 and had already out-dug Syracuse 28-19. Dalia Wilson added three blocks, while Rodriguez and Wiley kept the Orange offense off-balance at the net. Miami closed the set comfortably, punctuated by Mariam Mushkudiani’s third kill to take it 25-12 and even the match at one set apiece.
The third set mirrored the first — tightly contested early, with Syracuse briefly pulling ahead behind two service aces from Maeva and another McLaughlin kill. The Orange led 11-10 before Heredia Colon and Wilson sparked a Miami surge, giving the Hurricanes a 20-14 advantage.
Syracuse battled back with a late 5-0 run, fueled by Maeva’s float serves and McLaughlin’s steady play, closing within one at 23-22. But Sonja Danilovic slammed home the final point with a booming kill, clinching the set 25-23 for Miami. Through three sets, the Hurricanes held a commanding 50-32 edge in kills.
The fourth set belonged to Heredia Colon, who averaged 20 kills per match before Sunday. The senior outside hitter tallied her 30th kill early, as Miami later built a 10-3 lead. Heredia Colon was assisted by Feliciano, who recorded 18 digs on the afternoon.
Zharia Harris-Waddy and Sydnie Waller combined for a block, and Maeva added another ace, cutting the deficit to 12-11.
But the Hurricanes’ depth proved decisive. Freshman Amina N’Diaye contributed clutch kills down the stretch, and a point from Rodriguez sealed the match with a 25-19 fourth-set score.
Despite the loss, the Orange showed glimpses of improvement, particularly in their aggressive serving and stronger offensive rhythm, which helped them stay competitive against one of the ACC’s top teams. McLaughlin once again led Syracuse’s offense with 13 kills, continuing her strong season and averaging 3.91 kills per set. George added seven kills and 13 digs, providing steady defense and energy from the back row.
Syracuse will look to build on its improvements, as it returns home to the Women’s Building on Friday, aiming to snap its three-match ACC skid against Clemson.
