Oct. 20, 2000
The 21st-ranked Notre Dame volleyball team (15-5, 5-0 in the BIG EAST) rebounded from a mid-week loss at Michigan (Oct. 18) to earn its fifth conference victory of the year over Rutgers (15-6, 15-10, 15-13), Friday night at the Joyce Center. The Irish were in control of a majority of the match until the Scarlet Knights built a 7-1 advantage in the third game. Notre Dame was able to rally behind the power-hitting of junior Kristy Kreher and some solid defensive play to win the third game 15-13 and seal the match victory.
Kreher continued to be the Irish spark plug, tallying 14 kills, 15 digs and five blocks in the contest. It was the sixth match in a row the Irish opposite has tallied double-digit kills and the 14th-time this season.
The Irish also benefited from the solid play of their setter, senior Denise Boylan. Boylan had 43 assists in the match, 11 digs and three blocks. The most important play the Irish setter might have made was in the third game. With the score knotted at 13-13, Boylan snapped off a service ace to push the Irish to match point. Seconds later, a perfect set enabled Kreher to notch her final kills of the night and end the match.
Notre Dame’s two middle blockers, Malinda Goralski and Jo Jameyson combined for 14 kills and 10 blocks in the match as the Irish controlled the net and tallied 10 blocks as a team.
Next up for the Irish is BIG EAST conference member Seton Hall on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. It will be Dad-Daughter Day at the Joyce Center. Daughters 16-and-under, accompanied by their father, will receive free admission to the match and there will be a drawing for ‘N’Sync’ tickets held between games two and three.