Hurricanes Survive with Five-Set Win at Syracuse
Nov. 7, 2003
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami volleyball team needed five sets but pulled out the win over Syracuse, 30-27, 31-29, 27-30, 27-30, 15-10, at the Women’s Building on the campus of Syracuse University.
Head Coach Nicole Lantagne Welch’s Hurricanes improves to 21-7 overall and 8-2 in Big East Conference action. Leyre Santaella Sante led the Hurricanes with 21 kills, while hitting .260 for the match. The 21 kills for Santaella Sante was a career-best. Karla Johnson recorded a career-high 10 blocks, while adding 13 kills.
“We showed a lot of fight tonight.” Lantagne Welch said. “Leyre came out on fire in the fifth set to really lead us. Karla Johnson was huge for us at with 10 blocks and Fran (Savage) played great.
“Unfortunately, we let them back in the match in the third and fourth set. But we showed great character to secure the win in the fifth set.”
Santaella Sante pounded out four kills to lead Miami to a 15-10 fifth-set win, while Valeria Tipiana added two kills. The Hurricanes hit .615 as a team in the fifth set.
The Hurricanes took the first set, 30-27, behind a strong offensive attack led by Santaella Sante with six kills and a .250 hitting percentage. Francheska Savage hit an impressive .400 in set one with four kills in 10 attacks and no hitting errors. UM hit .262 as a team in the first set.
It took Miami extra points to secure the second set, 31-29, on Karla Johnson’s fourth kill of the set. Savage led the Hurricanes’ attack in the second stanza, hitting .500 with three kills. Jamie Grass turned in a strong defensive effort from her libero position with four digs.
Syracuse battled back to take the third set, 30-27. The Hurricanes received four blocks and four kills from Johnson, who hit .375 for the set. Santaella Sante and Robin Lewullis added three kills each.
A furious Miami comeback fell short as Syracuse pulled even at two matches apiece with a 30-27 win in set four. The Hurricanes trailed by as many as eight points in the set but never got closer than 26-25 as the Orange finished off the set. Santaella Sante led UM with four kills.
Miami now travels to South Bend, Ind., for a conference showdown with league-leader Notre Dame on Sunday, Feb. 9. The Irish are 8-0 in conference play and host the Hurricanes at 6 p.m. (EST) on College Sports Television (CSTV).
