READING, Pa. – Notre Dame volleyball traveled to Penn State Berks this afternoon for a trimatch where they also faced Penn State Abington. The Gators took the first match against Abington 3-0, but fell in five sets to Berks, 3-2. Notre Dame opened their 2018 to a 10-game win streak.
NDMU VS. ABINGTON
The Gators kept the first set close against Abington, taking the set 25-19. Notre Dame turned up the intensity taking the second set 25-14 and the third, 25-9.
Sophomore
Sarah Sweet led the team with 13 kills followed by junior
Kayleigh Davis with nine and freshman
Alyssa Kerns with six. The team finished the match with 35 kills.
Kerns and sophomore
Michaila Sheedy both hit over .700 against Abington.
From the service line, the Gators tallied 13 aces, continuing their double digit ace streak to eight games.
On the defensive end, Notre Dame tallied 41 digs and six blocks. Junior
Mary Marquez and Sweet led the team in digs, combining for 22, while senior
Ricelle Taganas tallied nine.
Kerns and Sheedy led the team with blocks, Kerns with three and Sheedy with two.
NDMU VS. BERKS
Against PSU Berks, the Gators got off a slow start, dropping the first two sets, 12-25 and 20-25. Notre Dame charged back taking the third and fourth sets (25-16, 25-19) to force a fifth set. The Gators ran out of steam, falling to the Nittany Lions in the fifth, 9-15.
Sheedy led the team in kills, posting 11 in the five-set match, tying her season-high set yesterday against Gwynedd Mercy. Sweet followed with nine kills, while Kerns finished with five.
On the service line, the Gators had eight aces, led by Marquez and Sweet with three apiece.
On defense, Marquez paced the team with 30 digs followed by Sweet with 15.
The Gators had a standout blocking effort, posting 14. Kerns and Sheedy led with seven apiece.
Over both matches, Taganas and junior
Sara Few led the team in assists, Taganas with 38 and Few with 20.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Notre Dame will have the rest of the weekend off before returning home Tuesday. They will host local rival Gallaudet University at 7:00 p.m.