Syracuse volleyball needs win this weekend to keep conference tournament hopes alive
Entering an Oct. 24 matchup against Marquette, the Syracuse volleyball team was in prime position. After winning seven straight games, the Orange was 6-1 in the Big East, near the top of the conference standings, and appeared poised to secure a favorable seed in the Big East tournament.
And then it hit the road.
Syracuse (18-9, 7-4 Big East) has since suffered a four-game losing streak during the previous two weekends, falling to Big East foes Marquette, Louisville and Cincinnati during that stretch. Wisconsin-Green Bay was the other loss.
All of a sudden, Syracuse finds itself not only fighting for a top seed, but to keep its Big East tournament hopes alive. The Orange is currently in sixth place in the conference standings, hanging by a thread in the Big East.
‘We have to play well these next two weekends, so we can get a good seed in the Big East tournament,’ senior middle blocker Sarah Morton said. ‘But at the same time, you can’t be nervous and you can’t be afraid. You have to go in with the mindset that you’re going to play hard, and you’re going to win.’
Syracuse has four games remaining in its regular season, three of which are against Big East opponents. The Orange currently stands at 7-4 in the conference and likely needs another win or two to reach the conference tournament. Fortunately for SU, it is returning home to the friendly confines of Manley Field House, where it has posted a spectacular 9-0 record this season.
The upcoming weekend brings the bottom team in the Big East, DePaul (6-19, 0-10), and the top team in the conference, Notre Dame (16-4, 10-0). After facing Binghamton on the road, SU will conclude its season against Villanova on Nov. 13. The Wildcats (16-9, 5-5) is currently seventh in the Big East and is by no means an easy opponent.
Needing one win to put itself in position for a postseason opportunity, the Orange understands the importance of defeating DePaul Friday.
‘We need to seal the deal with DePaul,’ assistant coach Carol LaMarche said. ‘You never really know what’s going to happen in the Big East, and we’re definitely not taking this game for granted. The girls are super excited to be home and are trying to rally some friends and fans to come to the game to help us out.’
Coming off of the four game skid, Morton said the team still feels confident in its ability, but admits there is now a sense of urgency that wasn’t there earlier in the season. However, as one of the leaders of team, Morton knows that SU can’t be tentative on the court for its four remaining games.
Junior middle blocker Hayley Todd, one of the few Orange players who performed well over the four game losing streak, believes the team has been in a slump. However, she acknowledges that Syracuse needs to get its swagger back for Friday’s match, which for all intents and purposes is a must-win game.
‘All we can do is be confident going into this game,’ Todd said. ‘We acknowledge that we’re coming off a bit of a slump, but this week in practice we’re working really hard and have just completely changed our mindset.’
In order to avoid a heartbreaking collapse, SU may need to go back to the drawing board and get back in the rhythm that made the team so successful in the early portion of the season. With the first match of four to take place Friday, the time for these players to regain their composure is now.
‘We know that it’s time to stop talking and time to start taking action, and we’re ready to do that.’ LaMarche concluded. ‘The girls are focused and we’re still pretty confident that we’re a good team. The injuries are a little here and a little there, but it’s nothing that we can’t manage. So we’re ready to go.’
