Sept. 5, 2015
Box Score – Temple 3, Notre Dame 1
Box Score – Notre Dame 3, Hofstra 2
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – In a story that played out the same last week at the Blue Raider Bash, the University of Notre Dame volleyball team lost the first two matches of the Seton Hall Classic at Walsh Gym before showing poise in closing out the weekend with a win. The Irish opened Saturday with a tough 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-15, 25-13) loss to Temple, but came right back with a thrilling 3-2 (26-24, 24-26, 25-20, 25-14, 15-13) victory over Hofstra.
Last week the Irish lost in four sets to Bowling Green, lost in five to Cleveland State and beat Middle Tennessee State in four. This weekend Notre Dame was swept by Seton Hall before Saturday’s results against Temple and Hofstra.
A pair of Irish freshmen made a bit of history with their outstanding play Saturday. Wexford, Pennsylvania product Meg Morningstar tied for the eighth-most blocks by an Irish player since 2001 when she tallied 11 against the Owls. It was the most by a Notre Dame player since former All-American Jeni Houser had 13 in 2013 against Auburn.
In the nightcap, libero Ryan DeJarld recorded the fifth-most digs by a Notre Dame player since 2001 with 30. It was the most digs in one match since former all-BIG EAST performer Kristen Dealy had 34 at Villanova since 2010. The effort helped earn her a spot on the Seton Hall Classic All-Tournament team.
Sophomore Sam Fry also had a big night against Hofstra, as she pounded home a career-high 21 kills to top her previous career high of 19 set last week against Cleveland State.
Notre Dame (2-4) makes its first appearance at Purcell Pavilion next weekend when it welcomes in Eastern Kentucky, Mississippi State and No. 1 Penn State for the Golden Dome Invitational (Sept. 11-12). Tickets are available and can be purchased at UND.com.
Seton Hall Classic All-Tournament Team
Irem Asci – Temple
Tyler Davis – Temple
Ryan Dejarld – Notre Dame
Grace Forren – Seton Hall
Amanda Hansen – Seton Hall
Cherise Hennigan – Seton Hall
Veronika Kostova – Hofstra
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MATCH 1: Temple 3, Notre Dame 1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-15, 25-13)
For the second match in a row the Irish struggled mightily on offense, as they tallied just 32 kills in a 3-1 (25-22, 18-25, 25-15, 25-13) loss to Temple in match one of two on Saturday afternoon at the Seton Hall Classic.
Notre Dame won the second set, but had little luck in the remaining three frames, as they hit just .117 for the contest. They attacked at a .034 and a .000 clip, respectively, over the final two frames. Meanwhile, the Owls hit .414 and .385, respectively, over the last two sets.
Temple tallied 29 more kills (61-32), had 30 more assists (59-29) and 22 more digs (67-45) than the Irish. Notre Dame won the battle in blocks (12.0-6.0) and service aces (8-2).
Nine ties and seven lead changes were scattered throughout a match that featured very little drama over the last three sets.
Three Owls reached double figures in kills, led by Irem Asci’s 19. Asci recorded the match’s only double-double by adding 15 digs. Tyler Davis had 16 kills while hitting .400 and Kirsten Overton recorded 10 kills (.400 A%), six digs and four blocks. Libero Alyssa Drachslin had a match-high 23 digs.
In addition to Morningstar’s big match on the defensive end, Sydney Kuhn tallied seven kills (.353 A%), nine digs and two blocks. Fry had a team-high nine kills in addition to four digs, three blocks and two service aces.
MATCH 2: Notre Dame 3, Hofstra 2 (26-24, 24-26, 25-20, 14-25, 15-13)
Just like a week ago in Tennessee, the Irish didn’t let back-to-back losses get them down as they finished off a tough weekend in New Jersey with an exciting 3-2 (26-24, 24-26, 25-20, 14-25, 15-13) win over Hofstra.
Notre Dame held a 2-1 lead entering the fourth set, but hit -.050 as Hofstra forced a deciding fifth frame.
The Irish trailed 3-1 early in the final set but scored five of the next six points to take a 6-4 lead. A couple of points later, Notre Dame held a slim 8-6 lead at the side change and then upped it to 10-7 later on.
Hofstra didn’t give up though, as the Pride eventually tied the set at 13. With the match on the line, Fry took over, pounding home the last two of her career-high 21 kills to give Notre Dame its second win of the season. The Irish hit a whopping .462 in the final set, scoring 13 of the 15 points by way of the kill.
The opening two frames needed extra points to decide them. In the first, junior Katie Higgins and Fry tallied back-to-back kills to give Notre Dame the 1-0 lead. In the second, Hofstra capitalized on Irish miscues to score five straight points and steal the set and tie the match at two entering the locker room.
Twenty-one ties and 10 lead changes highlighted the back-and-forth match.
In addition to Fry and DeJarld, Kuhn tallied her fifth career double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Four Irish players reached double figures in kills, with freshman Rebecca Nunge (10) and Higgins (11) joining Fry and Kuhn.
Morningstar continued her impressive play at the net with seven kills and eight blocks. Setter Maddie Dilfer finished one dig shy of a double-double with 47 assists, nine digs, two blocks and two kills.
–Russell Dorn, Athletics Communications Assistant Director
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