CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Notre Dame volleyball team picked up a 3-1 victory over ACC foe Virginia here today to improve to 12-8 overall and 6-4 in conference play. After falling 26-24 in the opening set, the Irish took the next three frames by scores of 25-11, 25-17 and 25-15.
Junior Jemma Yeadon led the Irish attack with 18 kills and a .317 hitting percentage. In the third set, Yeadon notched her 1,000th career kill to become the 23rd player in program history to reach the mark. Freshmen Sydney Bent and Charley Niego each added nine kills, while senior Rebecca Nunge notched eight. Senior Ryann DeJarld and freshman Zoe Nunez each recorded three aces for Notre Dame through the four sets of play.
Bent and Niego also buoyed the Irish defense with 14 digs each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
In a hotly-contested opening set, the Irish and Cavaliers battled to a 10-all tie before the hosts used a 4-1 run to take a 14-11 advantage. Notre Dame cut the Virginia lead to 15-13, but the Cavaliers claimed the next two points to force an Irish timeout. After the stoppage, the Irish earned five of the next seven points to get within one at 19-18. Virginia responded by taking a 22-20 lead before the Irish notched four consecutive points to go up 24-22. From there, Virginia erased the deficit with a 4-0 run of its own to take the first set, 26-24. Yeadon led the Irish with five kills in the opening stanza.
Second Set
Three kills by Yeadon helped the Irish open the second set with a 6-3 lead. Notre Dame extended its advantage with a 6-0 run, which included three aces by DeJarld, to take control of the set with a comfortable 12-4 lead. The Irish were dominant the rest of the way in the second stanza, hitting .391 with 11 kills and seven aces en route to a 25-11 victory.
Third Set
Notre Dame broke a 7-7 deadlock with a 5-2 run to take a 12-9 lead over the Cavaliers. The streak was capped by Yeadon’s 11th kill of the afternoon and the 1,000th of her career. The hosts earned the next three points to even the score, 12-12. The sides traded the next four points before a 5-0 Irish run gave Notre Dame a 19-14 lead. Another kill by Yeadon and two straight attack errors by the Cavaliers sealed the 25-17 set win for the Irish.
Fourth Set
After Notre Dame opened the fourth set with a 7-3 lead, the Cavaliers responded with a 5-0 run to earn a one-point advantage. The teams battled to a 9-9 tie before the Irish rattled off nine of the next 11 points to take an 18-11 lead. Notre Dame remained in control of the set from there, with Yeadon’s 18th kill of the afternoon polishing off a 25-15 set win and a 3-1 road victory.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
On a day where she reached the 1,000 career kills, Yeadon was instrumental for the Irish attack. Her 18 kills match a season high (at NC State on 9/23 and vs. Virginia Tech on 10/14). She has now reached double-digit kills in four of the last six contests.
UP NEXT
The Irish return to Purcell next weekend and will host Syracuse and Boston College. Notre Dame meets the Orange on Friday (Oct. 26) at 7 p.m. before taking on the Eagles on Sunday (Oct. 28) at 1 p.m. Both matches will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
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