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Scoreboard
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Team
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Set 1
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Set 2
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Set 3
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Set 4
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Set 5
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Final
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SU
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22
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25
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12
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25
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6
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2
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USF
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25
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17
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25
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22
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15
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3
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Top Performers
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SU
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Player
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Kills
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Hit %
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Ast.
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Digs
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BS/BA
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18 |
.223
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2
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14
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0/1
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Hayley Todd
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11
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.135
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0
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0
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1/2 |
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USF
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Player
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Kills
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Hit %
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Ast.
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Digs
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BS/BA
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13
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.478
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0
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5
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1/2
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15
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.310
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0
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1
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0/3
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Volleyball Central
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GoUSFBulls.com
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Gameday Links
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Watch Live
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Gamenotes
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Social Media
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Interactive Guide
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TAMPA - The Syracuse Orange volleyball team came into Sunday's match with USF undefeated with a 16-0 record, but they left with a five set loss to the Bulls at the Corral.
The Bulls knocked off the Orange in five sets, the third consecutive win for USF, and their second BIG EAST win in as many tries.
USF took down Marquette, who was picked to finish fourth in the conference, on Friday night in straight sets, and did what no other team has been able to do this year in beating Syracuse o Sunday afternoon in front of a raucous home crowd of over 400.
Both teams entered their match at 1-0 in conference play, and the Bulls were able to execute their gameplan to perfection to remain undefeated in league play.
Head coach Claire Lessinger had lots of praise for freshman Andrea Rodriguez Gomez, who collected 13 kills in 23 attacks for a .478 percentage from her middle blocker position. The 13 kills marked a career high for the freshman, eclipsing her previous high of 10, which came against Florida A&M earlier in the season.
The Bulls went to Rodriguez Gomez down the stretch, where she collected a pair of crucial kills in three attacks in the decisive fifth set. Rodriguez Gomez also picked up five digs, a solo block, and a pair of block assists.
Along with the great play from the freshman, USF got quality play out of a pair of their seniors in Allie Boaz and Mariana Thon.
Boaz led the team with 15 kills in the win, hitting .310 from the outside hitter position, while also assisting on the blocks, and committing just a pair of errors.
Thon, once again, set the pace for the Bulls' offense, setting 49 assists in the match at a .422 success rate while collecting 14 digs, a solo block and a block assist. The senior also added three kills in eight attempts in the win.
The Bulls improved to 5-4 all-time against the Orange, and stayed undefeated in BIG EAST play, while handing the Orange their first loss off the season.
Despite the Orange entering the Corral on Sunday without a blemish on their record in 2010, the Bulls were not intimidated, and the team came out firing on all cylinders. The Bulls opened up with a 3-1 lead, and led the entire first set until Syracuse pulled away at 22-20, but the resilient Bulls came back to win the next five points to take the opening frame, 25-22.
After leading early on in the second set, the Bulls fell behind the Orange who evened up the sets at one apiece thanks to outhitting USF .192 to .097 in the set.
After hitting .125 and .097 in the first two frames respectively, the Bulls turned things around in set No. 3, as they combined to hit .522 as a team, opening up on a 10-3 run, one that they would not relinquish. The Bulls led the entire way, and held Syracuse to just 12 points on .038 hitting to take the 2-1 set lead.
The Bulls fell behind early in the fourth set, but battled and hung around, making it interesting, before dropping the frame 25-22, to force a decisive fifth set.
The Bulls were not going to let this one slip through their fingers.
USF opened the fifth frame on an 8-3 run, and would not look back, taking the finale in decisive fashion, 15-6, on .429 hitting percentage.
The Bulls will look to continue their success, as they welcome in another pair on conference opponents next weekend in Notre Dame and DePaul, before heading on a three week road trip which takes them throughout the BIG EAST.
