Syracuse volleyball holds off Fairleigh Dickinson for 1st home win of 2026
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Syracuse’s home opener was one to forget. Arkansas handily outplayed the Orange to extend SU’s winless streak at home.
Nine days later, Syracuse had an opportunity to redeem themselves against a vaunted Fairleigh Dickinson squad. A dominant first set victory teased the crowd with hopes of a quick end to a long home-court dryspell.
However, the Knights didn’t surrender so quickly. They charged from behind to steal the second set, threatening to further taint SU’s home record. FDU looked primed to take the third as well after three untimely attack errors from SU.
Yet, Syracuse’s offense was its knight in shining armor, as it put pressure on FDU, causing an attack error to seal the set win and hand SU the match lead. After a service error gave the Orange the lead, they kept it until the final point.
SU’s offense tallied a season-high 63 kills to give Syracuse (5-3, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) a fairytale ending against FDU (2-10, 0-0 Northeast), besting the Knights 3-1. Kiernan Stamey, Emma Williams, Abby Nicholson and Keila Gabriel all recorded double-digit kills, while Stamey led the attack with a career-high 19 kills.
The first frame was all Orange. Despite FDU’s best attempts to pull level, the closest it could get was within one.
The SU offense kept the Knights at arms-length the entire set, putting up 15 first-set kills. Stamey and Williams contributed five each as the Orange went on a 15-5 run to win the set 25-14. Bo Nijenhuis capped it off with two kills to give SU the 1-0 lead.
However, the second set didn’t start well for the Orange. Two SU attack errors gave FDU an early lead.
Syracuse’s offense wasn’t frazzled, though, as Williams rattled off two straight aces to begin a 8-0 run for the Orange, building a 12-6 lead.
The Knights reciprocated with their own 6-0 run, aided by FDU’s Ava DeGuzman’s two aces. A Stamey kill to temporarily give SU a 13-12 lead didn’t faze FDU, as they ripped off a 5-0 run to put Syracuse in a four-point hole late.
The set would go back-and-forth, but Syracuse chipped into FDU’s lead little by little. If the Knights scored one, the Orange would score two.
Eventually, Syracuse broke through with a 3-0 run to take a 24-22 lead, and another Williams ace put the Orange on the precipice of a dominant 2-0 lead.
However, SU’s kryptonite — unforced errors — resurfaced.
Williams, whose fantastic serving brought Syracuse back into the set, faltered for a moment to give up a point and serve to FDU. Then, two straight attack errors caused by FDU’s blocking put the Knights on top. DeGuzman ended it with an ace for a 26-24 win.
“I mean, (FDU is) here to play too, right,” SU head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam said. “We came out and performed pretty well in the first set, but FDU pushed back. They brought up the game and did some adjustments, and that’s how it goes.”
Going into the third frame, SU couldn’t immediately shake off the blown lead. The two teams were trading punches midway into the set.
With the game tied 13-13, Nicholson grabbed the ball and walked to the service line. The fifth year middle blocker had been a solid offensive contributor for the Orange, however, on the serving side, she’d only tallied two aces all season.
Nicholson loaded up the serve and sent it FDU’s way. The Knights couldn’t corral it, and SU had a 14-13 lead. Moments later, Nicholson dialed up another ace. She ran into her huddle with a smile on her face.
“I get super excited when I get an ace, and I think it just pumps up the team,” Nicholson said.
The reinvigorated Syracuse squad rallied to a 24-21 lead. Once again, Syracuse had the set in hand. Once again, they almost gave it away.
Three straight attack errors ceded the lead, and tied 24-24 in the same position, it looked as if history might repeat itself. Luckily for the Orange, FDU fell into the same rut. A service error and attack error put SU over the top, 26-24.
The Syracuse offense, having almost given up another set, made sure FDU never got another chance to rebound.
The offense had a near-perfect fourth set. With 20 kills, two errors and 50% hitting, the Orange hammered away at the fatigued Knights defense. Gabriel, who was foiled by FDU’s block, found a way through to contribute three kills to the onslaught.
But, like she had all game, Stamey led the way with six fourth-set kills. The outside hitter ended the day with the career-high 19 kills and just six errors, her lowest mark since the UAlbany match.
“These past few games definitely haven’t been my best percentage wise, errors wise, and so that’s definitely what I’m focusing on is cleaning those up and getting consistent…and so I’m just happy I can clean it up tonight,” Stamey said.
On the final point, the crowd in the Women’s Building rose to its feet, awaiting Syracuse’s eventual triumph. Stamey, with an uncontested rocket, delivered Syracuse its first home win in 336 days to a harmonious celebration cheer.
