Nov. 3, 1999
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame volleyball team picked up its fifth-straight win with a 15-8, 15-8, 8-15, 15-3, victory over the visiting Illinois State Redbirds Wednesday night in a non-conference match at the Joyce Center. With the win, the Irish moved to 15-6 overall, while the Redbirds dropped to 13-10.
Notre Dame had four players finish with double-digit kills, including junior Christi Girton (Muncie, Ind.), who led the team and the match with 19 kills. Both Girton and sophomore Kristy Kreher (Birmingham, Mich.) recorded double-doubles for the second-straight match, with Girton adding 14 digs and Kreher posting 15 kills and 13 digs. The Irish also got outstanding performances from senior middle blocker Mary Leffers (Tampa, Fla.), who had 17 kills to go along with a season-high nine digs and a team-best seven blocks, and sophomore outside hitter Marcie Bomhack (Waukesha, Wis.), who tallied 15 kills. Junior setter Denise Boylan (Lisle, Ill.) contributed 61 assists for the Irish offense, which outhit Illinois State, .325 to .248.
Illinois State was led offensively by Megan O’Connell, who had a career-high 15 kills, and Kendra Haselhorst and Julie Cress, who both added double-doubles with 10 kills and 11 digs apiece.
With the win, the Irish evened the all-time series between the two schools at 6-6 after the Redbirds picked up a four-game win in 1998 in Normal, Ill.
Notre Dame plays host to BIG EAST Conference foe Syracuse, Saturday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. in the last scheduled home match of the season. The match also will be the last home match for seniors Leffers, Emily Schiebout (Blaine, Minn.) and Lauren Stettin (Burr Ridge, Ill.).