For opponents of the 9-1 Syracuse volleyball team, no lead is safe. On their way to their best start in more than a decade, the Orangewomen remain calm when down big in a game.

Syracuse goes for its best start in the program’s 23-year history this weekend at the Radisson Invitational in Kalamazoo, Mich. Playing non-conference opponents South Florida (7-3), Milwaukee-Wisconsin (2-7) and host Western Michigan (2-7), SU will attempt to continue keep the streak intact.

Against Buffalo last weekend in the Syracuse Invitational, the Orangewomen trailed by as many as 10 points in each of the last two games against the Bulls. Even when losing, Syracuse kept its poise and came back to win each game.

‘A lot of the games, even when we’re down, we just feel like we are in control,’ junior co-captain Christen Casey said, ‘If you weren’t to look at the score at all in the game you would think we were up.’

The Orangewomen — led by the strong defense of Casey and a powerful front line attack — remained confident throughout the third game against Buffalo, even when seven points away from a loss.

‘We felt comfortable about the way we were playing, maybe too comfortable,” Casey said. “But we never thought we didn’t have control in the game.”

The Buffalo match was not the first time this season the Orangewomen mounted a sizable comeback. In the season-opening Big Orange Tournament, Syracuse trailed in the first game against Central Connecticut and Loyola before coming back to sweep the matches.

The Orangewomen’s greatest test of the season came against James Madison at the JMU/Days Inn Classic at Harrisonburg, Va. Hours after the year’s first loss, to Maryland, Syracuse dropped the first two games against the hosts but fought back to win the next three games, including a 32-30 victory in the must-win fourth game.

Syracuse assistant coach Alexis Dankulic said maintaining confidence and good team defense is the key to comeback victories.

‘Comebacks usually depend on your serve and serve-receive,” Dankulic said, “and that has been going pretty well for us this year.”

Freshman Jessica Logan credits the leadership of captains Casey and Abby Van Mater for keeping SU positive and focused to stay in games.

‘Our captains are really, really good about keeping everybody up,’ Logan said.

This weekend’s competition at University Arena in Kalamazoo will be the last of four non-conference tournaments to open the season. South Florida is the second team with a winning record on the Orangewomen’s slate. The Bulls are coming off a 3-0 victory over Florida Atlantic, led by 23 kills by senior Michelle Collier.

Trying to win its third tournament of the season, Syracuse knows it can spark a comeback, even after falling significantly behind.

‘Being a young team, it’s a good trait,” Dankulic said. “(Comebacks) aren’t something you can really teach.”

Published on September 19, 2002 at 12:00 pm