Sept. 21, 2017
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — After wrapping up a successful non-conference portion of the regular season schedule with a record of 10-1, the Irish turn their attention to league play this weekend. Notre Dame travels to Louisville to take on the Cardinals at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 22 inside Cardinal Arena. The Irish then head to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a match against the Wolfpack at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 24 inside Reynolds Coliseum.
WEEKEND MATCHUPS
Locations: Louisville, Kentucky | Raleigh, North Carolina
Schedule: Friday, Sept. 22 — 7 p.m. EST at Louisville | LIVE STREAM
Sunday, Sept. 24 — 1 p.m. EST at NC State | LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM
Twitter Updates: @NDVolleyball
SERIES HISTORY VS. LOUISVILLE & NC STATE
Notre Dame and Louisville will meet for the 34th time in program history on Friday evening, with the Irish holding a 21-12 advantage. The two sides split last season’s matchup, with each team defending its home court.
The Irish will face the Wolfpack for the seventh time on Sunday. Notre Dame and NC State are deadlocked at 3-3 in the all-time series. The Irish defeated the Wolfpack in their only meeting last season, recording a sweep inside Purcell Pavilion.
BREAKOUT THE BROOMS
The Irish have not only won 10 matches to open the season, but have done so in impressive fashion, recording six sweeps. Each of Notre Dame’s last three wins have come in straight-set fashion, including the victory over No. 23 Michigan State. Notre Dame has not had a single victory go five sets.
DIGGING IT
The Notre Dame defense has played admirably through the first month of action this season, averaging 19.57 digs per set to pace the ACC and rank second in the country. The Irish posted a season-high 106 digs in the season-opening win over Valparaiso.
Libero Ryann DeJarld leads the NCAA in digs, recording an average of 6.65 digs per set. DeJarld set the program record for most digs in a four-set match earlier this season with 38 against Valparaiso. The libero has posted 20+ digs in 8-of-11 matches this season.
AT YOUR SERVICE
The Irish lead the ACC in aces per set with an average of 1.78. Notre Dame has recorded at least three aces in all 11 of its matches this season and hammered out a season-high 12 aces in the win over VCU.
Natalie Johnson is leading the charge for the Irish from the service line, posting a team-best 22 aces on the season. The senior enters Friday’s match ranked sixth in the country in aces per set with an average of 0.59 and has posted at least one ace in 10-of-11 matches in 2017.
THE ONE AND ONLY
Notre Dame head coach Jim McLaughlin is the only volleyball head coach to have captured an NCAA title on both the men’s and women’s sides. McLaughlin began his coaching career as a men’s coach and won the championship with USC during the 1989-90 season, his first season as a head coach. McLaughlin claimed a title on the women’s side with Washington in 2005, posting a 32-1 record en route to the championship.
— 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.