Nov. 22, 2016
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame (20-10, 11-7 ACC) is set to host Boston College and Syracuse for the final home stand of the regular season. The Irish play the Eagles at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and then the Orange at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 25.
WEEKEND MATCHUPS
Location: Notre Dame, Ind. | Purcell Pavilion
Schedule: Wednesday, Nov. 23 — 7 p.m. EST vs. Boston College | | LIVE STREAM
Friday, Nov. 25 — 1 p.m. EST vs. Syracuse | | LIVE STREAM
Twitter Updates: @NDVolleyball
PROMOTIONS & GIVEAWAYS
- Senior Day
- Fan Appreciation Day – All tickets just $3 Free Shirt Friday
- First 500 fans get a Black Friday-themed T-shirt)
SCOUTING THE IRISH
Notre Dame has a record of 20-10 on the season and 11-7 in the ACC. The Irish have already won 13 more matches than during the 2015 campaign and have recorded the most ACC wins in program history. Notre Dame is coming off of a 1-1 weekend, sweeping Clemson and losing in three sets at Georgia Tech. The Irish are the top serving team in the conference, as the squad averages 1.79 aces per set. Individually freshman Jemma Yeadon leads the attack, averaging a team-high 2.91 kills per set.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Boston College comes into Wednesday’s match with an 8-20 record on the season and a mark of 3-15 in ACC play. The Eagles have dropped each of their last four outings, including matchups against Florida State (3-1), Miami (3-1), Virginia Tech (3-0) and Pittsburgh (3-0). Julia Topor leads the team in kills per set with an average of 2.35, as the senior has recorded 240 kills on the year.
SERIES HISTORY VS. BOSTON COLLEGE
Notre Dame has found much success against the Eagles when the two sides have met, as the Irish hold a 15-4 advantage in the all-time series. Notre Dame won 14 of the first 15 matchups in the series and won the first meeting between the two sides this season, notching a 3-0 victory over Boston College in 2016.
SCOUTING THE ORANGE
Syracuse has struggled in 2016, as the team enters the week of play with a 7-21 record on the season and a mark of 6-12 in ACC action. The Orange has gone 0-4 over the last two weekends, suffering four consecutive 3-1 losses at home against Miami, Florida State, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. Syracuse’s Leah Levert has been a force at the net for the Orange, as she averages 1.34 blocks per set to rank second in the conference and 28th nationally.
SERIES HISTORY VS. SYRACUSE
The Irish lead the Orange 22-7 in the all-time series but Syracuse. Notre Dame won this season’s previous matchup, posting a 3-0 victory on the road on Oct. 7. The Irish held the Orange to a hitting percentage of just .094 in the win.
SOPHOMORE SENSATION
Libero Ryann DeJarld became just the fourth player in Notre Dame history to reach the 500-dig milestone in a single season earlier this season against Virginia (Nov. 13). One match later DeJarld recorded the 1,000th dig of her career in a win over Clemson. The sophomore has 533 digs on the season and 1,022 in over her two years at Notre Dame.
The sophomore ranks third in the ACC in aces per set with an average of 0.38, dishing out 41 aces in 107 sets. The Chicago native also ranks second in the conference in digs per set, averaging 4.98. DeJarld produced a career-high 40 digs earlier this season in a five-set thriller against No. 8 UNC earlier this season.
HIGGINS’ HITTING
Senior Katie Higgins has been one of the most efficient hitters in the ACC this season, as the middle blocker ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage with a mark of .350. The Kearney, Nebraska native has recorded a percentage of .400 or higher on 13 occasions this season.
MOST ACC WINS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
The Irish are 11-7 in league play, their best start since joining the conference in 2013. Notre Dame’s 11 victories are already the most the program has recorded in a single season in the ACC.
BREAK OUT THE BROOMS
Of Notre Dame’s 20 wins this season, 15 have come in straight-set fashion. The 15 sweeps surpass the amount the program has had in the previous four seasons combined. The Irish started the season with three consecutive sweeps, claiming wins over Seton Hall, Cleveland State and Western Michigan and have recoreded nine straight-set wins in ACC play against Louisville, Miami, Syracuse, Boston College, NC State, Pitt, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Clemson
HERE TO SERVE
Notre Dame comes into Saturday’s match ranked eighth nationally in aces per set, recording an average of 1.79. The Irish have dished out 191 aces this season to lead the ACC. Three Irish players rank in the top 10 in the ACC for aces per set, as Ryann DeJarld is second in the league in aces per set in with an average of 0.38. Sam Fry is fourth in the conference with an average of 0.34 and Sydney Kuhn is eighth with 0.29 per set Notre Dame has produced five or more aces in 23-of-30 matches this season.
— ND —
Robby Hamman joined Fighting Irish Media as athletics communications assistant director in September 2016, coordinating efforts for the volleyball and men’s lacrosse program. Hamman is a 2010 graduate of Bethel College, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in sport management and business administration, and earned his master’s degree in business administration from Defiance College in 2013.