Nov. 24, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky- Freshman Christina Kaelin (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) tied for the match lead with 19 kills, but the Notre Dame volleyball team (18-13) could not overcome No. 18 Ohio (28-3) in a hard fought four-game match at the Louisville Invitational on Friday, Nov. 24 at Cardinals Arena in Louisville, Kentucky. The game scores went 30-28, 27-30, 30-26, 30-23. Ohio has now won 21 consecutive matches.
In match that saw Notre Dame give everything they had, Kaelin led the attack with 19 kills on a .250 hitting percentage for 19.5 points. Junior Adrianna Stasiuk (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) had a solid all-around performance with 17 kills, 16 digs, four blocks on a .342 hitting percentage. For Stasiuk, it was her 18th double-double of the season. Stasiuk also had team best 20.5 points and a service ace.
Sophomore Mallorie Croal (Villa Park, Calif./Mater Dei) had her sixth consecutive double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs for 18.5 points. Croal also contributed a pair of solo blocks.
Freshman Serinity Phillips (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center) had a steady performance with 15 kills, five digs and a block for 15.5 points. This was the ninth time that Phillips had reached double digits in kills this season.
For the first time this season, both Irish setters topped the 30 assists mark in the same match. Freshman Jamel Nicholas (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) led the team with a career-high 38 helpers, while junior Ashley Tarutis (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) tallied 33 assists.
Senior Danielle Herndon (Plant City, Fla./Durant), playing in the last regular season match of her Notre Dame career, led the team with 18 digs. Herndon has now led the team in digs in 26 of the 31 matches this season. The senior’s 26 times leading the team in digs is tied for the second more ever for an Irish player in a single season.
Notre Dame will now anxiously wait to see if the team is selected for an at-large bid into the NCAA Division I Championships. The announcement will be officially made on ESPNEWS on Sunday, Nov. 26 between 3 and 3:30 p.m. The Irish have a streak of 14 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Notes: Stasiuk’s 18 double-doubles this season are tied for the fourth most ever in a single season … Herndon’s 565 digs this year are the second most ever recorded by an Irish player in a single season … Kaelin’s 19 kills was the fourth consecutive match she had reached double figures in kills and the 12th time she has led the team in kills.