HAMILTON, N.Y. - Syracuse (3-0) captured the Colgate Classic Tournament title with victories against Rhode Island, 3-0, and Colgate, 3-1, on Saturday at Cotterell Court. Behind an evenly distributed offense and defense, the Orange downed Rhode Island in straight sets, -20, -20, -16 before earning a come-from-behind win against the Raiders, 22-, -18, -23, -22.
"The Colgate match was very powerful," head coach Jing Pu said. "It was a match where every point is exciting. A match like that is very mentally taxing and it necessary to come out of those with a victory. (Junior outside hitter) Noemie Lefebvre was at her peak tonight, both offensively and defensively, she was hitting her spots and getting maximum height on her jumps."
Syracuse 3, Rhode Island 0
With a 42-32 advantage in kills and a 10-4 edge in blocks, the Orange dismantled Rhode Island in the second game of the Colgate Classic to advance to the tournament championship. Sophomore middle Samantha Hinz paced the Orange with 11 kills and five blocks while junior outside Noemie Lefebvre added 10 kills and led the defense with nine digs.
Hinz and Lefebvre were two of seven Orange to record kills in the contest, rookie middle Lindsay McCabe paired eight kills with five blocks while senior outside Mindy Stanislovaitis notched five kills. Sophomore setter Laura Homann added four kills while dishing out 33 assists. Freshman outside hitter Samantha Clarey made her collegiate debut against the Rams, notching one attempt.
Defensively, junior libero Ashley Williams had eight digs while sophomore defensive specialist Zoe Guzman recorded five. Senior defensive specialist Sarah Hayes also got in the act, firing off a match-high four-straight aces.
Syracuse 3, Colgate 1
The Orange offense exploded against the Raiders, with seven different players recording kills, including four in double-digits. The squad continued to dominate its opponents at the net, posting a 69-50 advantage in kills and an 11.0-6.0 edge in blocks.
Lefebvre set the tone with a career-best 23 kills and a team-leading 11 digs for her first double-double of the season. Senior outside Hayley Todd was second on the team with 16 kills and five total blocks while McCabe paired 11 kills with nine total blocks.
An evenly distributed back row defense helped Syracuse capture the tournament championship, with nine different players tallying digs. Behind Lefebvre, Williams posted eight digs while Hayes had five and McCabe, Hinz and Homann each added three. Homann propelled the SU offense, setting a career standard with 54 assists.
The Orange continues its road swing with the two-day, four-match Samford Tournament in Birmingham, Ala. beginning Friday, Sept. 3 at noon.
Article Courtesy: SU Athletics
