TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Led by a pair double-digit kill performances from Milica Kubura (16) and Christina Ambrose (12) the Florida State offense finished with 50 kills and a .418 attack percentage as the Seminoles posted a 25-17, 25-16, 25-16 victory over Syracuse on Friday evening at Tully Gym. The sixth sweep of the season and second in Atlantic Coast Conference play moves Florida State to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in league action with Boston College heading to Tallahassee on Sunday.
Kubura, who eclipsed double figure kills for the seventh time this season and third time in as many matches, limited herself to two miscues in 25 attempts against the Orange (2-11, 1-2 ACC) defense as she posted a .560 attack percentage. Ambrose also enjoyed a solid night on the Florida State front row, posting a .556 attack percentage as she penetrated the Syracuse defense on 18 occasions.
Setters Brianne Burkert (24 assists) and Hailey Luke (15) quarterbacked a Florida State offense that tallied 50 kills in a three-set ACC match for the first time since recording 50 against Clemson on Nov. 26, 2014.
Cecile Woie, who emerged with a team-high 14 digs, anchored the Seminoles’ defensive attack that finished with a 42-30 edge in digs. Joining her among statistical leaders on the front row were Kubura and Mara Green, who recorded two assisted blocks each.
Facing a two-set deficit in the match, Syracuse regrouped during the intermission to force 12 ties in the first 26 points as the third set reached a 13-13 deadlock on a series of kills by Kendra Lukacs. Ambrose responded with a kill and service ace for the Seminoles, forcing the Orange to burn a timeout trailing by two points.
Two kills by Horton along with an unforced error by Syracuse’s Annie Bozzo provided the Seminoles with a 20-16 lead. With Horton in serve Florida State relied on the tandem of Kubura and Ambrose, who combined for three kills down the stretch as the Noles completed their fourth sweep of the Orange in five all-time meetings.
“I am proud that we took care of business tonight and the fact that overall we played pretty well offensively,” said head coach Chris Poole. “We still have a lot of work to do defensively, but we have players stepping up and getting better every week, so I am optimistic.”
A kill by Kubura along with a service point by Horton allowed Florida State to break an eight-all tie in the second set as the Seminoles assumed a two-point lead. Florida State moved in front 13-10, following an Ambrose kill, but Syracuse regrouped during its first timeout and responded by scoring five of the next eight points to move within one.
The Seminoles, looking to regain their previous offensive form, spent their first timeout of the set and quickly received two kills from Melanie Keil and one each from Natasha Calkins and Kubura to forge ahead 20-16. Horton’s service game, combined with strikes by Kubura, Ambrose and Burkert gave Florida State a two-set advantage with the nine-point win.
Six kills by the Seminoles, including two each by Ambrose and Kubura, provided Florida State with a 9-4 advantage over the Orange in the early stages of the first set. The Seminoles added to their lead after Syracuse burned its first timeout, using kills by Horton, Keil and Kubura in succession to assume a 14-8 lead to force the second Orange breather.
The combination of Ambrose and Kubura, who were responsible for four of the next six Seminole points, stretched the lead to 20-13. Horton took over from there for Florida State, posting four kills to make for the eight-point victory.
FSU returns to the court at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1, for the 20th all-time meeting against Boston College (5-7, 0-2 ACC). The Seminoles, 18-1 in the series, have won their last 12 straight dating back to a 3-1 victory on Nov. 7, 2008.
Seminole fans will have the opportunity to watch Sunday’s match, with commentary about the match from Reynaud and Jonathan Schillace, as part of the ACC Network Extra package.
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