After scoring only 14 points in the first set, Jeff Werneke urged his players to pass more. The Rutgers head coach knew his team couldn’t afford to keep shooting straight at the Syracuse defense, so it had to figure out a way to circumvent it.

‘We’re being one-dimensional — pass more and hit at them less,’ Wernke said to his players as they huddled after the first set. ‘They’re blocking too many shots.’

But the Scarlet Knights couldn’t adjust, and Syracuse’s well-positioned defense behind the No. 6 blocking defense in the nation helped SU secure a four-set win Friday night over Werneke and Rutgers at the Women’s Building. The Orange followed it up with another four-set victory over Seton Hall on Sunday. Even when the Scarlet Knights took their coach’s orders and evaded Samantha Hinz and SU’s blocking defense, their shots often landed right in the hands of the SU counterattack.

That theme developed from the start of the match on Friday.

In the first set, perfectly positioned Orange defenders cleaned up any balls that got through the blocking wall. Scarlet Knights setter Stephanie Zielinski set middle blockers Alex Jones and Hannah Curtis up for what looked like sure-fire kills.

Hinz and Lindsay McCabe couldn’t set up their block in time, but two diving hits by Williams — who ended the match two digs shy of her career high with 29 — kept the ball in play to set up the SU offense in a dominating 25-14 victory.

Hinz, the team’s leading blocker, tallied 14 blocks on Sunday against Seton Hall. She said that great digging from Williams and others paired with the stout blocking game is SU’s recipe for success this season.

‘Having the defense behind the block like we do makes my life easier,’ Hinz said. ‘It’s nice to know that we have the support behind us before we go up to block.’

Williams made life easy for the SU blockers all game, bailing them out countless times.

In the third set, Zielinski cheered prematurely after her block got by the outstretched arms of freshman outside hitter Andrea Fisher.

But Williams had other plans. After another head-first dive, the ball bounced right to SU setter Laura Homann, who made sure Fisher had the last laugh with a kill over Zielinski on the left side of the court.

SU interim head coach Kelly Morrisroe said the range of her libero never surprises her, but the plays she makes are impressive. And Williams’ play is a big part of SU’s success on defense.

‘Ashley gets to balls that other players just don’t get to,’ Morrisroe said. ‘With the threat of our block, it makes us that much stronger on defense.’

Outside hitters Noemie Lefebvre and Erin Little also chipped in. Lefebvre had three of her 13 digs from a single rally in the first set. Little, who was initially inserted into the lineup for an offensive spark earlier this month, had three blocks and two digs against Rutgers

And even just the threat of the block helped SU’s back line.

After Werneke’s change-of-strategy pep talk, outside hitter Little and Hinz tipped another Jones spike to start the second set. And two plays later, Zielinski served a ball into the net trying to avoid McCabe, who was looming on the other side.

Little said making a difference up front comes down to having a certain mindset.

‘(Blocking) is all about attitude,’ Little said. ‘But it’s great to be able to alter shots no matter what.’

That attitude and the play of the rest of the defense led SU to victory. For Morrisroe, the Orange’s behind-the-block defense from players like Williams made the difference against Rutgers.

‘Twenty-nine digs (from Williams) is awesome, and Noemie (Lefebvre) had a great defensive game, too,’ Morrisroe said. ‘It only helps our block out when you know you’re set behind it.’

nctoney@syr.edu

Published on October 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Nick: nctoney@syr.edu | @nicktoneytweets