Oct. 28, 2006
CINCINNATI, Ohio- The Notre Dame volleyball team (13-9, 7-2 BIG EAST) were defeated by BIG EAST rival Cincinnati (16-5, 6-3 BIG EAST) on Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. The game scores went 20-30, 28-30, 22-30. This ties Notre Dame’s longest losing streak of the season at two matches.
Christina Kaelin (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) led the Notre Dame attack with 13 kills. Justine Stremick (Langdon, N.D./Langdon Area) totaled seven blocks. Mallorie Croal (Villa Park, Calif./Mater Dei) added 10 kills and 13 digs for her second double-double of the season. Serinity Phillips (Valley Center, Calif./Valley Center) had three kills and two blocks. Freshman Kim Kristoff (Carmel, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit Prep) had three kills and three blocks. Both Irish setters Ashley Tarutis (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos) and Jamel Nicholas (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) reached double figures in assists. Tarutis, for the 13th time this season, led the team with 17 assists. Nicholas picked up 13 helpers. Danielle Herndon (Plant City, Fla./Durant) had 22 digs. For the match, the Irish were out hit by Cincinnati.235 to .119.
The Irish started the first game slow, trailing 5-0, before taking a timeout to slow the action. Notre Dame fought back, after the stoppage of play, to within one on a block assist from Stremick and Croal at 6-5. The Bearcats went on an 8-3 run keyed by a kill from sophomore middle blocker Jessie Nevitt to open up a 15-8 advantage. The lead hovered around the seven-point barrier, until another Nevitt kill increased the lead to nine at 23-14. A kill from Megan Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) brought the Irish within seven at 27-20, but it was not enough as the UC closed the game on a 3-0 run to win the first game 30-20. The Bearcats out hit the Irish .176 to .022 in the first game, although the Irish did out block their conference rival 5-1.
The second game began very back and forth, as a Kaelin killed tied the game up at six all. The Bearcats went on a mini 3-0 run keyed by back-to-back kills from Jessica Elley to open up a 13-10 advantage. A Phillips block ended an Irish run and tied the game up at 13 all. There were 10 more tied scores up to 25-point barrier, before a Kaelin kill finally gave Notre Dame the lead at 26-25. Kaelin would follow with another kill to increase the lead to two, only to see the Bearcats catch them at 27. Another Kaelin kill briefly gave the Irish the lead at 28-27, before Cincinnati finished the game on a 3-0 run to take the second game in thrilling 30-28 fashion. The game saw 21 different tied scores and seven lead changes.
With their back firmly against the wall and facing a long uphill climb, it was an unfortunate slow start for the Irish in the third game. The Bearcats opened the game on a 6-0 run keyed by a solo block from Lindsey Peterson. A Croal kill brought the Irish within four at 8-4. A Stremick solo block brought the Irish within three at 9-6. A 6-3 Bearcat run opened up a six-point lead at 15-9. The Irish just couldn’t seem to chip into the lead, as it hovered around six until the 24-18 mark. The Irish then won a long rally, finished by a Kaelin kill to creep within five at 24-19. But the Bearcats had the answer and finished the match on a 6-3 run to take the third and final game and match.
Next, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish continue their road swing with another conference match against Louisville on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. The match will also be broadcast by ESPNU.