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Notre Dame Volleyball Faces Off With Miami (OH) Saturday

Sept. 17, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame volleyball squad will play host to Miami University, Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Joyce Center. The Irish, who are 4-2 overall in 1999, play the RedHawks for the first time since 1991.

Notre Dame is coming off its second runner-up finish in a tournament in as many weeks. The Irish defeated Kentucky 3-0, before falling to 18th-ranked Clemson in the BIG Orange Bash tournament finale in Clemson, S.C. This year’s Notre Dame squad is led by team captains middle blocker Mary Leffers, who leads the Irish in kills per game (3.44), hitting percentage (.371) and blocks per game (1.78), and setter Denise Boylan, who is already a two-time all-tournament selection in 1999.

Miami, which returns three starters from 1998, has opened their 1999 campaign with a 5-3 mark overall, with all three of their losses coming last weekend at the Pacific Invitational in Stockton, Calif.

Miami, under head coach Carolyn Condit, is led by last year’s Mid-American Player of the Year Alissia Thompson, who is averaging over four kills a game and two and a half digs per game. She is helped by outside hitter Mindy Collins’ 4.07 kills per game and Andrea Stone’s 1.08 blocks per game. Running the Miami offense is setter Kerry Hardek.

The RedHawks lead the overall series between the two team, 3-2, but the two schools have not faced each other since 1991, when they met twice. Notre Dame’s two wins have come in 1988 and 1991, while Miami won in 1983, 1990 and 1991.