Marissa Kanemura likes when she gets to fall down. Jacki Kliment prefers when the Syracuse women’s volleyball team comes together and shouts. Despite their differences, the SU juniors do enjoy one thing: being a part of the celebration on the bench after certain points during the matches.

Kanemura’s falling down and Kliment’s group shouting are examples of celebrations by the Orange that helps create team energy and allows them to have fun during the match.

SU players will try to continue enjoying themselves this weekend when the Orange concludes its road Big East schedule. The Orange (18-10, 6-4) will travel to No. 22 St. John’s Saturday for a clash with the second place team in the Big East and end the weekend with a trip to Storrs, Conn., to take on Connecticut.

‘It keeps your energy in the game,’ Kanemura said of the celebrations. ‘You know the people on the court feed off it, too, like they’ll see you diving on the floor. It lightens up the game, and keeps us intense at the same time.’

The bench has three primary routines but introduced a new one this weekend.

As explained by Kanemura and Kliment, the first celebration comes after a player tallies an ace, which is when a player serves and the opposing team does not return the serve, resulting in a point for SU. When this happens, the women on the bench kneel to the floor, slap the hardwood and yell ‘Yeah.’ This cheer was here when Kliment arrived as a freshman.

The second is after a block, or when a player blocks the opposing team from hitting over the net and makes a point. After a block, the Orange’s bench comes together in a circle, with the players’ hands in the air, yelling ‘Roof.’ This cheer is standard among many teams.

One, which Syracuse created, though, is for a kill, or when a player’s attack is not returnable and earns a point for SU. When this happens, players on the bench will pretend to shoot the person next to them. The players being shot fall on the ground and rattle, while the other player continues to shoot them.

Rounding out the celebrations is one the Orange first used last weekend against Pittsburgh. The routine is for a dump, or when a player quickly tips the ball behind her head over the net. Kanemura described this celebration as ‘inappropriate.’

Whether it’s a kill, ace, block or dump, these points give the bench ways to create energy during the seesaw battles that volleyball matches can be.

The players on the court do feed off it. Senior Cheryl Cobbina said she enjoys looking over at the bench and seeing how interested and energized they are.

‘It just makes it fun,’ Cobbina said. ‘I think it’s funny how they all die on the floor.’

Cobbina, who has given the Orange plenty of chances to fall on the ground and play dead with her team-high 393 kills, also said the bench’s celebrations help with team unity.

‘It’s more like unity,’ Cobbina said. ‘Because people on the bench are not mad they’re not playing. They’re out for the team, it’s showing they’re supporting us however they can. If they can’t get on the court, they’re going to support us anyway. We work harder when we hear the bench, we get louder, we talk more.’

The team’s celebrations even once got a rare smile out of head coach Jing Pu, according to the players.

‘It’s huge (to get him to smile),’ Kliment said. ‘Rarely does he laugh during games because he is so focused.’

SU assistant head coach Carol LaMarche, who used to be part of the celebrations as a player for the Orange, enjoys the atmosphere it brings to the team.

‘As a player, you like your bench to be real loud,’ LaMarche said. ‘Especially when you’re on the road and you’re the only ones rooting for you to win. We need everyone to be focused on the game, and when they’re cheering and paying attention, you know they’re ready to go on when they’re needed. I know the girls on the court might not turn and say thank you for cheering, but they know when their teammates are loud they’re rooting for them.’

LaMarche also said it’s funny how cheers have changed since she donned the Orange, but she still enjoys hearing the all-too-familiar scream of ‘roof.’

With the team’s eight matches over .500, the bench has had plenty of aspects to cheer about this season. But there is still one part of the game for which it would like to think of a new celebration.

‘We’re trying to figure out game point,’ Kanemura said. ‘The clap isn’t working.’

Published on November 2, 2007 at 12:00 pm