Sept. 17, 2006
TEMPE, ARIZONA- The Notre Dame volleyball team (6-5) had three players tally double-doubles, but it was not enough as the Fighting Irish dropped a three gamer to the host Arizona State Sun Devils (8-3) on the final day of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic in Tempe Ariz. on Sunday, Sept. 17 by the scores of 20-30, 20-30, 28-30.
Freshman Megan Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) led the squad in kills for the first time in her career with 13 kills while also contributing 11 digs. Junior Adrianna Stasiuk (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) tallied her seventh double-double of the season with 12 kills and 13 digs. Setter Ashley Tarutis (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) had a solid performance with a team-best 19 assists and 10 digs. Senior Danielle Herndon (Plant City, Fla./Durant) was the Irish leader for the 10th time this season with 17 digs.
The Irish started slowly trailing 12-7 on the kill from Nina Reeves. Notre Dame rallied to get with in four on the back-to-back kills from Fesl at 15-11. A Stasiuk kill brought the Irish within three, but the Sun Devils then went on a 14-7 run capped off on the kill from Nicole Morton to take the first game 30-20. The Sun Devils out hit the Irish .410 -.122 in the first game.
The second game began as a back and forth affair and was tied at three after a Fesl kill, before the Sun Devils rallied and went on a 7-3 run to take control. The Irish attempted to rally and got within two on an ASU attack error at 13-11, but the Sun Devil stood steady and opened up a lead as large as nine on the kill from Staci Smith, before an Irish attack error finished off Notre Dame 30-20 in the second game.
Another slow start haunted the Irish in the third game, as the Sun Devils opened an 8-3 advantage on the kill from Staci Smith. Notre Dame rallied and got within three on the Stasiuk kill at 13-11. Notre Dame continued to fight their way back and tied the game at 18 on an ASU attack error. The game went back and forth with tied scores at 19, 20, 23 and 24 before the Sun Devils opened a three-point advantage on service ace from Staci Smith. The Irish again rallied and went on a 2-0 run, while facing match point, to get within one on the kill from freshman Serinity Phillips (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center). But a kill from the Sun Devils’ Morton finished the game and match in an ASU 30-28 victory.
For the match the Sun Devils out hit the Irish .321 to .194 while leading in kills 53-50 and digs 46-45. The Irish also lost the blocking battle for the fifth time this season 9.5-4.0. Smith played well for ASU with 15 kills on a .682 hitting percentage.
After the tournament was completed two members of the Fighting Irish were honored as sophomore Justine Stremick (Langdon, N.D./Langdon Area) was named the Best Blocker and Stasiuk was named the Co-Attacker of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic.
The Irish begin BIG EAST play on the East Coast with a match against Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 12 p.m.