BALTIMORE – Gabbi Taganas and Miasia Ferrer led the offense with 15 kills combined, and Paulina Hernandez added 23 digs in a strong defensive effort to help Notre Dame of Maryland University post a 3-0 sweep at Goucher to begin the 2022 season last Thursday. Set scores were 25-22, 26-24, 25-20.

Hernandez would add 20 digs in each of NDMU's weekend matches at Hood, as the Gators dropped a pair of four-set contests to the host Blazers (25-23, 25-21, 18-25, 25-18) and Penn State Harrisburg (26-28, 25-18, 25-20, 26-24) on Saturday.

NDMU has a pair of midweek matches at MBK Sports Complex this week. The Gators host McDaniel in their home opener at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and they take on Christendom at 7 p.m. Thursday evening.

NDMU 3, Goucher 0

NDMU's sweep at Goucher on Thursday avenged a pair defeats to the Gophers to begin each of the previous two seasons. Taganas led the way with eight kills, while Ferrer contributed seven kills (.238 attack percentage) and two blocks and Emma Mueller supplied 16 assists, five kills and six digs.

Ferrer came up big at the conclusion of the second set, as the Gators rallied from a late 24-23 deficit. She teamed with Ciarra Bockstie on a block to level up the score, and finished off the set with back-to-back kills.

Bockstie paced the Gators with three blocks. Jade Stewart totaled 16 digs, and Natalie Newton cracked double figures in both digs (10) and assists (10).

Hood 3, NDMU 1

Stewart finished with nine kills to lead the Gators offense in their tri-match opener over the weekend. Taganas followed with eight kills, backed by a strong .316 attack percentage, four aces and three blocks.

Newton managed a team-high 17 assists, nine digs and three aces, while Stewart added 15 digs and a pair of blocks.

Penn State Harrisburg 3, NDMU 1

Bockstie (11 kills, .280 attack pct.) and Stewart (10 kills, 15 digs) both reached double figures in kills during the tri-match finale. The Gators also finished the afternoon with 15 aces, led by Mueller (5), Hernandez (4) and Newton (2).

NDMU rallied from 26-25 down to take the opening set. Newton and Bockstie leveled the score with a block, Newton followed with a kill and a Bockstie ace clinched the set.