Nov. 13, 2015

Weekend Notes

By Russell Dorn

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame volleyball team is on the road for two more tough Atlantic Coast Conference matches this weekend, as the Irish (6-20, 1-13 ACC) head to the Sunshine State to meet No. 20 Florida State (19-6, 12-2 ACC) and Miami (17-7, 10-4 ACC).

ACC Weekend #8 (@ #20 FSU / @ Miami)
Tallahassee, Fla. (Tully Gym)
Miami, Fla. (Knight Complex)
November 13 & 15, 2015

Weekend Schedule

Friday, Nov. 13
7 p.m.: Notre Dame @ No. 20 Florida State – Live Stats

Sunday, Nov. 15
1 p.m.: Notre Dame @ Miami – Live Stats / ESPN3

Updates
Facebook: /NDVolleyball / Twitter: @NDVolleyball / Instagram: NDVBall
Snapchat: NDVolleyball / Text Alerts: Irish Alert! Text Messaging (Sign Up On UND.com)

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Here are five things to know for this weekend’s ACC matches:

1. Sophomore Sydney Kuhn has stepped up her game as of late with three double-doubles in the last four matches … she had 14 kills and 10 digs at NC State, 13 kills and 10 digs at North Carolina and 10 kills and 11 digs versus Pittsburgh … she has six for the season and 10 in her career.

2. Sophomore defensive specialist Natalie Johnson has been a leader on the court this season and the numbers back it up … the Pasadena, California native has played in all 98 sets and sits second on the team in service aces (21) and third in digs (213) … recently she has nine or more digs in four of her last seven matches, including posting 17 at North Carolina in four sets and 13 versus Virginia Tech in three sets.

3. The last two ACC road trips will see the Irish stretch the boarders of the ACC’s reach … this trip sees ND play the two most Southern schools in the league – Florida State and Miami – before heading to the two most northern teams in the conference – Syracuse and Boston College) in two weeks to wrap up the season.

4. The Seminoles have stayed in the rankings throughout the entire year, ranging from ninth to 20^th … they started the ACC campaign 10-0, but have gone just 2-2 in their last four matches … FSU is 10-0 at home this year … FSU swept ND at Purcell Pavilion Sept. 27 … preseason all-ACC selections Katie Horton, Nicole Walch and Sarah Burrington combined to total 24 of the team’s 38 kills in the win … FSU leads the conference in attack percentage (.270) and is third in blocks per set (2.98) … Walch is third in points per set (4.33), fifth in kills per set (3.73) and 10^th in service aces per set (0.28) … Burrington is second in blocks per set (1.41) and eighth in attack percentage (.350) … Notre Dame is 0-3 against FSU since joining the ACC in 2013.

5. The Hurricanes have won 10 of their last 12 matches and are a perfect 11-0 at home this year … Miami is third in the ACC in service aces per set (1.43) … preseason all-ACC selection Haley Templeton is fourth in the league in assists per set (10.41) … fellow preseason all-ACC member Olga Strantzali is first in service aces per set (0.44) and 10^th in points per set (3.87) … Notre Dame is 1-2 against Miami since joining the ACC in 2013.

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Individual match tickets for Notre Dame volleyball’s last two home matches in 2015 are on sale. The Irish play Georgia Tech (7 p.m. Friday) and Clemson (1 p.m. Sunday) next weekend (November 20 & 22). Visit und.com/tickets or call the Murnane Family Ticket Office at 574-631-7356 for more information.

For the latest Irish volleyball coverage, be sure to log on to UND.com or follow the program on Facebook (/NDVolleyball), Twitter (@NDVolleyball), Instagram (NDVBall) and Snapchat (NDVolleyball).

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Russell Dorn, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2011 and coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame volleyball, rowing and baseball programs. A native of Greenwood, South Carolina, Dorn graduated from Furman University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in history before earning his master’s degree in sports communications from Georgia State University in 2011.