SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It had been 366 days since Syracuse last won an ACC match. And even longer since the Orange beat a conference opponent inside the Women’s Building.
That drought is finally over.
“From the moment we went into the match, I think the team really wanted this,” head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam said.
Syracuse snapped its 19-match ACC losing streak Friday night, rallying past Virginia in four sets, 18-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-19, to secure its first conference victory of the season.
When star outside hitter Kiernan Stamey was asked Wednesday what she wanted out of Friday’s matchup, her answer was simple: “Win.”
The Orange certainly delivered.
Virginia came out swinging, opening the match with an 8-2 run. But Stamey answered with three consecutive kills to keep Syracuse within striking distance.
The Orange spent much of the opening set adjusting to Virginia’s rotations, but the Cavaliers ultimately took control. Virginia hit .294 in the first set, its best mark of the night, to claim a 25-18 win.
The second set, however, marked a turning point.
Syracuse grabbed its first lead of the match at 6-5 and carried that momentum into the media timeout with a 15-10 advantage. Virginia responded to reclaim the lead, but the Orange refused to fold.
Freshman setter Charis Burge kept the offense moving, distributing the ball across the floor as Syracuse battled to a 26-24 victory. Burge finished with a match-high 41 assists.
The third set brought another early test.
Virginia jumped out to a 9-4 lead, but Syracuse gradually found its rhythm, edging ahead 15-14 at the media break.
Out of the break, Stamey recorded her 10th kill of the night, reaching double digits for the 14th time this season. The Orange kept pouring it on to take an 18-15 advantage.
Fifth-year Abby Nicholson delivered two clutch kills down the stretch to help Syracuse create separation before Stamey put the set away with another finish, giving the Orange a 25-22 win and a 2-1 lead.
In set four, Syracuse’s defense helped seal the deal.
The Orange began with four straight points and recorded three of their seven total blocks to keep Virginia’s attack in check. Marie Laurio also came alive from the back row, delivering three key kills as Syracuse maintained control.
Like the set prior, the Orange reached 15 points first. This time, they never relinquished their advantage, closing out the 25-19 victory to end the conference skid.
Stamey led Syracuse with 15 kills and added a team-high 18 digs, making an impact on both sides of the ball.
Nicholson and Gabriel combined for 20 kills as Syracuse finished with 51 kills to Virginia’s 46. It marked the first time the Orange had out-killed an ACC opponent this season.
The team also managed to hold Virginia star Reese Weubker, who notched 20 kills in her last six games, to only 10.
Bo Nijenhuis anchored the front row with four blocks, helping Syracuse finish with seven as a team.
For a team that had spent more than a year searching for an ACC victory, Friday offered proof that the breakthrough was possible.
“This was a great win for our program, but we’re not done,” Ganesharatnam said. “This was one win. We want to get as many wins as possible this season.”
The Orange will look to build on that momentum Sunday, Oct. 25, when they host Virginia Tech at 1 p.m.