Winning three straight matches wasn’t enough for the Syracuse volleyball team this weekend. It wanted three straight shutouts.

Syracuse defeated Brown (1-2), Colgate (1-8), and Buffalo (4-6) in the Syracuse Invitational Tournament to bring its record to 9-1, tying the 1991 Orangewomen for the program’s best start in 11 years.

Syracuse won its second consecutive home tournament with the combination of an overpowering offense and stellar defensive play from tournament Most Valuable Player Christen Casey. The Orangewomen’s libero has now been named to the three all-tournament teams this season.

As a team captain, Casey is a vocal presence on the court, a role she feels is important to team success.

‘Somebody on the court is always looking for somebody else,’ Casey said. ‘I feel confident that if I tell (my teammates) where to go they will do it, and they will succeed.’

Those teammates recognize her leadership as a captain and leader of the defense.

‘Our captains are great,” freshman Jessica Logan said. “Christen is very vocal, and it really helps everybody out.’

A combination of Orangewomen provided the offense. Sophomore Morgan Jones picked up 34 kills in the tournament, setting a career high with 15 against Brown. In that match, she set the Syracuse record for most attacks in a three-game match with 46.

Logan and senior co-captain Abby Van Mater also helped power the Orangewomen attack with a combined 35 kills. Jones and Van Mater joined Casey on the all-tournament team.

Logan, one of the team’s six freshmen, feels good about the progress the Orangewomen are making this season.

‘It seems like everything is working out,’ Logan said, ‘I love the program, and the coaches work with everybody as a team. It helps everybody come together individually.’

In the tournament finale against Buffalo, the Orangewomen were challenged by the opponent from the Mid-American Conference but won in three games.

Early in the first game, Syracuse took a big lead helped by 10 consecutive service points by freshman Hui Jue Duan. The Orangewomen used net play by Van Mater, Jones and freshman Kristen Conway, as well as four consecutive kills by Logan on their way to a 30-12 win.

The Bulls gave Syracuse more problems during the match’s final two games. Led by all-tournament selections Lindsay Matikosh and Kathryn Henry, Buffalo led midway through each game before the Orangewomen attack prevailed.

Even with the early-season success, the Orangewomen are still trying determine their best lineup for the conference season. Each player received playing time during the tournament and assistant coach Alexis Dankulic said the starting lineup is still unsettled.

‘None of our lineups are set from game to game, but we’re getting a better idea of everybody’s strengths and weaknesses during matches,’ Dankulic said.

Dankulic sees many areas that the Orangewomen need to improve before beginning the Big East schedule.

‘I think we need to focus on keeping our hitting percentage high and putting the ball down more,” she said. “Not necessarily making less errors, but having more kills.

‘The team is progressing at a really good level.’

Published on September 16, 2002 at 12:00 pm