Sept. 11, 2011
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Golden Dome Invitational MVP Jeni Houser had 12 kills for Notre Dame during its 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-21) sweep of Valparaiso Sunday at Purcell Pavilion. The freshman outside hitter led the Irish (5-3) to a 2-1 record on the weekend while leading all players at the four-team volleyball invitational in hitting (.348), kills/set (3.82) and points/set (4.36).
Houser earned the honor one week after being named to the Stanford Invitational all-tournament team.
Freshman Toni Alugbue and sophomore Andrea McHugh also earned spots on the all-tournament team.
Alugbue had seven kills, six digs and four blocks against the Crusaders (7-4) and averaged 1.36 blocks/set on the weekend.
Senior Frenchy Silva averaged 4.09 digs/set during the invite and matched McHugh with 19 scoops on Sunday.
McHugh finished with a double-double after knocking down 11 kills and led the invite with six aces. She was second with 4.09 digs/set.
Sophomore setters Maggie Brindock and Sammie Brown each had 18 assists as Notre Dame out-hit Valparaiso, .218 to .074. Brown added three kills and Brindock had a match-high two solo blocks.
Valparaiso got 10 kills from Sarah Dooms and 17 digs from Taylor Root. Katie Britton, Jenny Pokorny and Ellen Vanden Berg each had four blocks. The Crusaders totaled 10 blocks compared to Notre Dame’s eight.
The Crusaders failed to hit over .087 in any of the three sets.
Seven of McHugh’s kills came in the first set. Valparaiso trailed, 16-13, but rallied to take a 17-16 lead. Four straight Irish points behind Silva’s served put the set in Notre Dame’s hands.
Houser did the damage for Notre Dame in set two with six kills as the Irish posted their highest single-set hitting clip at .244.
Six different Notre Dame players had multiple kills in the third. The home squad hit .216 and led wire-to-wire for the win.
The Irish travel to Wisconsin next weekend for the InnTower Invitational while facing the host Badgers and Western Michigan.