Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Notre Dame Blows by Hurricanes in Straight-Set Win

Sept. 25, 2016

Final Stats

By Robby Hamman

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Notre Dame (11-3, 2-0 ACC) is currently playing its best volleyball in recent memory, dismantling the Hurricanes (6-8, 0-2 ACC) in a 3-0 sweep on Sunday. The Irish have now won seven of their last eight matches, five coming in straight sets.

HOW IT HAPPENED

For the second time this weekend the Irish jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. The first frame was highly contested but Notre Dame did just enough to win, taking the set by a score of 25-22. The Irish elevated their play to another level for the second set, dominating every facet of the game en route to a 25-15 set win. The Irish continued their fine form in the third, rolling to another 25-15 victory to complete the sweep at 3-0.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Senior Katie Higgins put on an attacking clinic in Coral Gables, posting a team-high 10 kills on just 15 swings without recording a single error for a hitting percentage of .667. Higgins also led the team in blocks with three and added two digs in her masterful performance.

ND STAT OF THE MATCH

Notre Dame had it’s best attacking performance of the season from an efficiency standpoint on Sunday, posting a season-best hitting percentage of .360. The Irish tallied 43 kills on 100 attempts, while making just seven errors. Higgins, Sam Fry, Rebecca Nunge, and Jemma Yeadon each recorded at least eight kills while maintaining an attack percentage of .300 or greater.

THE TURNING POINT

The first set was tight but once the Irish closed the opening frame with a 25-22 victory they cruised in the second and third stanzas. Notre Dame led by as many as 16 points in the second set at 22-6 to take complete control of the match.

NOTES OF THE MATCH

  • Notre Dame’s 11-3 start is the team’s best since the 2005 season.
  • The Irish start 2-0 in ACC play for the first time in program history.
  • Notre Dame is now 6-4 in the all-time series with Miami, snapping a three-match losing streak.
  • The victory is Notre Dame’s first ever away victory against the Hurricanes.
  • After dropping the first two sets against DePaul, the Irish have won nine straight.
  • Notre Dame is 6-1 when playing away from Purcell Pavlilion this season.
  • Eight of Notre Dame’s 11 victories have come in straight-set fashion.
  • The Irish hammered out eight aces, with four from Caroline Holt, three from Ryann DeJarld and one from Jemma Yeadon.
  • Higgins registered double-digit kills for the third time this season.
  • With 38 assists, Holt has now recorded at least 30 assists in 12-of-14 matches.

UP NEXT

The Irish return to Purcell Pavillion next weekend to host Duke at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30 and then Wake Forest at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2.

To purchase tickets visit UND.com/BuyTickets.

— 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.