Irish Drop 3-1 Decision to NC State

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to North Carolina State here tonight to drop to 15-10 overall and 9-6 in ACC play. The Irish took the first set 25-14 before the Wolfpack claimed the next three sets by scores of 25-21, 25-19 and 25-23.

Freshman Sydney Bent led the Irish attack with a career-high 24 kills while classmate Charley Niego added 12 kills.

Four players for Notre Dame recorded double-digit digs, including senior Ryann DeJarld with 19, sophomore Madison Cruzado with 18, Niego with 15 and Bent with 10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Set
A pair of kills each by Bent and Niego helped Notre Dame earn an 8-2 lead to open the first set. The Irish maintained control from there en route to a dominating 25-14 victory to take a 1-0 lead in the match. As a team, Notre Dame racked up 13 kills in the stanza with Bent recording eight. The Irish also limited the Wolfpack to a .027 hitting percentage in the set.

Second Set
After the two sides opened the second set in a 4-4 tie, the Irish and Wolfpack traded 4-1 runs to make it a nine-all deadlock. The visitors used a 6-1 streak to breakaway from an 11-11 tie and earn a 17-12 advantage. The Irish earned the next two points to cut NC State’s lead to three, but the Wolfpack responded with a 3-1 spurt to go up 20-15. That cushion was enough to propel NC State to a 25-20 victory to even the match.

Third Set
NC State earned seven of the first eight points to open the third set. A 3-1 spurt by Notre Dame cut the Wolfpack’s lead to 10-6 before the visitors claimed three straight points to take a seven-point advantage. Two straight points for the Irish eventually put the hosts within three at 20-17, but that’s the closest the hosts would get as the Wolfpack took a 2-1 lead with a 25-19 win.

Fourth Set
The Irish extended a 9-8 lead with a 4-1 run to earn a 13-9 advantage to open the fourth set. Notre Dame remained ahead until a 3-0 run by NC State evened the score at 18-18 and force an Irish timeout. After the two sides worked to a 20-20 deadlock, they traded 3-0 spurts to remain knotted at 23-all. Back-to-back kills by the Wolfpack clinched the third set, 25-23, and the 3-1 victory.

UP NEXT
The Irish travel to Tallahassee, Florida, to face the Florida State Seminoles on Sunday (Nov. 11) at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.

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