SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-3) fell to the No. 3 Stanford Cardinal (9-1) in a tough four-set battle in their ACC opener on Friday, Sept. 27.
The Irish were led by Sydney Palazzolo with 10 kills and 10 digs, followed by Phyona Schrader with 9 kills, 15 assists, and 12 digs. Lucy Trump finished with eight kills and three blocks, with Anna Bjork chipping in a team-best five blocks.
The Irish and Cardinal were back and forth to start, but a 5-0 run from Stanford would put them in front 11-6 to force a Notre Dame timeout. The lead was extended to nine at 20-11, but the Irish looked to chip away. The squads would trade points as the Cardinal took set one 25-17. Trump hit .800 in the first set with four kills.
Despite trailing 6-1 to start, the Irish were right back in it with kills from Schrader, Palazzolo, and Bjork to bring it back within two at 6-4. A 4-0 run brought Notre Dame within one at 12-11, but the Irish continued to battle as a Trump kill put the Irish in front 16-15 and forced the Stanford timeout.
A kill from Schrader tied it up at 21-all and a kill from Palazzolo put the Irish in front 23-22. A block from Schrader and Bjork coupled with a missed serve from Stanford sealed the deal on the Irish win in set two at 25-23.
While Stanford led 8-3 to start, a 3-0 Irish run brought it within two at 8-6. Another 3-0 run made it a 14-10 ballgame, but the Cardinal responded with a 3-0 run of their own to make it 17-10 and forced the Notre Dame timeout. The Irish worked to chip away but Stanford would go on to take set three 25-18.
It was a close start in the fourth, but the Irish had already delivered three aces in the set as they trailed by just two at 12-10. Back within two at 16-14, Notre Dame was working to try and put themselves back in front, but the Cardinal would take the final set 25-20.
The Irish are back in action on Sunday against Cal at 1:00 pm inside of Purcell Pavilion.