When head coach Leonid Yelin arrived at Syracuse in December 2011, one of his plans for turning SU into a winning program was improving its home facility.

Yelin and athletic director Darryl Gross worked on a plan that would allow the Orange to play select games in the Carrier Dome. Yelin said he was pleased with the athletic department’s commitment to improve the program.

Syracuse (10-18, 2-11 Big East) played its first match in the Carrier Dome on Sunday, but it ended with Connecticut (17-11, 8-5) sweeping the Orange.

Despite the loss to the conference rival Huskies, sophomore outside hitter Nicolette Serratore was appreciative of the opportunity to play in a campus landmark.

“I just felt really honored to have the opportunity to play here,” Serratore said. “It’s such a historic venue so it means a lot to our school and to us. To have it be the first time in our program history to ever be in the Dome was just a really great experience.”

Going into Sunday’s game against UConn, players and coaches expressed excitement about playing in the Dome.

Like Serratore, junior setter Amanda Kullman dreamed of one day having the opportunity to play there, but never envisioned it actually happening.

“It’s incredible,” Kullman said. “It’s funny, because when you’re on your official visit you always imagine playing in the Dome, but obviously nobody ever though it would happen. Obviously we are really grateful for it. It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before.”

Yelin said he believed the overall atmosphere was a positive experience, but the team’s poor performance and sloppy play doesn’t make the team deserving of this opportunity.

“Playing here was a great experience, absolutely,” Yelin said. “I wish we would not because we don’t deserve to. With the way we played, we do not deserve to play in this beautiful facility. People have to deserve this. We absolutely don’t.”

Serratore was focused on how the team was excited to play in the Dome and got caught up in the moment. Once SU came back to take a 20-19 lead in the first set, the Orange became over-confident.

“I think at first we kind of fed off of (the excitement),” Serratore said. “We were excited, we had momentum and we had a lead. And then as soon as we got that lead, we kind of relaxed. I don’t think the venue made us any more nervous.”

Playing in a large venue with a seating capacity of more than 10,000 was a more comforting environment for the Huskies than for Syracuse. UConn plays its home games at Gampel Pavilion, which seats more than 10,000.

Despite that advantage the Huskies may have had, Kullman didn’t believe the change in scenery had any significant affect. Instead, emotions got the best of the Orange.

“We’ve played in really big venues before, Iowa State for example,” Kullman said. “I think it was just a mental breakdown. I don’t think the venue had anything to do with it.”

Published on November 4, 2012 at 11:44 pm

Contact Austin: arpollac@syr.edu