Freshman Evann Slaughter (Clinton, Md.) added a season-high eight kills against Rider while sophomore Greta Strenger (Woodbury, Minn.) tallied eight kills and six digs. Senior Ashley Headen (Alexandria, Va.) totaled a team-high eight kills with a .538 attack percentage against Syracuse.
The Seawolves (2-7) trailed early in set one against Rider but took a 10-9 lead on a kill from Strenger. SBU stretched its lead to 16-11 on a ace from freshman Masa Balandzic (Pljevlja, Montenegro). Rider closed within 21-20 but Stony Brook answered with back-to-back kills from Headen and Slaughter and then closed the game out two points later on a Rider attack error.
Set two was close in the early going before the Seawolves went on a 9-1 run to take a 22-13 advantage. Headen had three aces in the run. Rider made it 23-17 on Brittany Gajewski ace but she followed with a service error before a Strenger kill gave Stony Brook a 2-0 lead.
The third set was also close early before the Seawolves scored three straight points to take an 11-7 lead. A Nelson kill pushed the Stony Brook lead to 17-10 as the Broncs got no closer than five the rest of the way. SBU hit .500 in the final set.
The Seawolves continued their strong play in the first set against the undefeated Orange. SBU trailed 15-14 following a Syracuse attack error before the Orange scored three straight points to take their largest lead of the day.
Stony Brook fought back to within 21-19 on a Headen kill but Syracuse scored four of the final five points of the set to take a 1-0 lead. The Seawolves hit .391 in the opening set.
SBU hung close early in the second set, trailing 9-6 following a kill from freshman Kaitlin Costello (Webster, N.Y.). But Syracuse answered with an 8-1 spurt to take a 10-point lead. Stony Brook got no closer than eight the rest of the way as the Orange went on to the 11-point victory.
Syracuse jumped in front 13-6 in the third set before the Seawolves scored three points to get within four. The Orange eventually opened a 21-13 lead on a Lindsay McCabe kill before Stony Brook climbed within 24-19 on an Orange attack error. But Syracuse closed out the match a point later on a kill from Noemie Lefebvre.
The Seawolves continue play in the Rose Hill Classic on Saturday, taking on Harvard at 11:30 a.m. before facing off against the host Rams at 7 p.m.
