Florida State University Athletics
Seminole Volleyball Battles Syracuse on the Road
11/13/2021 2:12:35 PM | Women's Volleyball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Seminoles.com) – The Florida State Volleyball team faces another road challenge as it prepares for Syracuse in a re-match of a five-set thriller two weeks ago. FSU and Syracuse face off on Sunday at Noon on Bally Sports Florida and other regional sports networks.
The Seminoles (18-6, 10-4) remain in fifth place in the competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, which has an incredible nine teams in the Top 55 of the latest NCAA RPI. FSU boasts a 17th-ranked RPI while the Orange (16-11, 5-10) rank 42nd.
The two teams played a marathon match on Halloween at Tully Gym that lasted nearly three hours, as FSU came away with a hard-fought 3-2 win. Freshman outside hitter Audrey Koenig was the attacking catalyst in that match with 18 kills, including several big points in the fifth set.
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Syracuse’s Marina Markova was a force in that match as well, delivering 33 kills in 89 swings and hitting .270. The Seminoles will try their best to contain the talented middle from St. Petersburg, Russia.
Sunday’s match is FSU’s final one away from home, where it holds a 5-4 road record this season. Last weekend, the Seminoles split in road matches at Clemson (W, 3-1) and No. 14 Georgia Tech (L, 1-3).
FSU continues to have one of the top back rows in the ACC with its conference-leading 15.94 digs per set. Freshman libero Emery Dupes is one of the top young liberos in the country, averaging 3.91 digs per set. Junior Lauryn Burrows is essential to FSU’s passing game as she sits third on the team with 2.63 digs per set, and veteran Caroline Golden is another talented piece who averages 2.29 digs per set.
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Syracuse is FSU’s first of four repeat opponents this season, with the final three in Miami (Nov. 19), Notre Dame (Nov. 24) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 26) all coming to Tallahassee to finish the regular season. The first match vs. Syracuse also included a career-high 60 assists by redshirt junior setter Lily Tessier, who has also emerged as one of the best at her position in the ACC. Tessier also had 15 digs vs. Syracuse.
The Orange took No. 3 Pitt to five sets on Friday night at home, being led by senior Polina Shemanova and her 19 kills in the 3-2 loss.