CLEMSON, S.C. — Aubrey Hamilton led the Irish with 12 kills and the Irish racked up nine service aces as Notre Dame earned a road sweep of Clemson (25-20, 25-23, 26-24) on Sunday afternoon inside Jervey Gym.
“More than anything, I loved watching our players compete,” said Irish head coach Mike Johnson. “These kids are fighters. I’m very proud of them.”
Hamilton led Notre Dame in kills for the second straight match this weekend while Charley Niego notched nine kills and Lindsey Miller collected eight kills with a .538 mark. Niego matched her career-high with five aces while Miller added three of her own. Zoe Nunez collected 32 assists in the sweep.
Hattie Monson led the Irish defensively with 23 digs while Nunez notched 10 digs and Niego and Caroline Meuth finished with nine digs each. Miller and Meuth also tied for a game-high three blocks each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
The Tigers broke a 3-3 tie with a 7-2 run before the Irish earned four straight points to get within one at 10-9. Back-to-back aces by Niego sparked a 5-1 run for Notre Dame that put the Irish ahead 15-13 at the media timeout.
After the break, Hamilton added a pair of kills as the Irish extended their lead to 19-14 before Clemson converted three straight points to make it 19-17. Notre Dame closed the frame on a 4-0 run, capped with a kill from Niego, to take the opening set 25-10. The Irish hit .300 in the first set with Hamilton notching four kills and Miller adding three.
Second Set
After Clemson earned a 12-10 lead, the Irish rattled off five in a row, including two more aces by Niego and a block by Meuth/Tarnoff, to go up 15-12 at the media break. The Irish stayed hot after the break, earning three of the next four points, to earn an 18-13 advantage and force a Clemson timeout.
The Tigers came out of the timeout by earning eight of the next 11 points to even the set at 21-21. A pair of kills by Niego down the stretch helped the Irish regain the lead before Meuth delivered a kill to clinch a 25-23 triumph in the second stanza.
Third Set
The Irish erased an early 2-0 deficit with a 5-1 run that included two kills and a block by Meuth before Hamilton and Miller notched back-to-back kills that put Notre Dame up 15-12 at the media timeout.
An ace by Miller gave Notre Dame a 17-13 advantage, but Clemson earned the next four points to even the frame at 17-all. The Irish responded with a 3-0 run, capped by an ace by Nunez, to regain a 20-17 lead. Notre Dame earned a 24-19 advantage, but the Tigers rallied with five consecutive points to even the set again at 24-24.
Meuth and Miller combined for the block to put the Irish at match point again before Hamilton’s 12th kill clinched a 26-24 victory and sweep for Notre Dame.
UP NEXT
- The Irish return home next weekend to host Syracuse and Boston College.
- Notre Dame takes on the Orange on Friday (Oct. 8) at 7 p.m. ET before taking on the Eagles on Sunday (Oct. 10) at 1 p.m. ET
- Both contests will be streamed via ACC Network Extra.
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