NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame goes on the road for a mid-week contest against No. 22 Louisville on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. The Irish enter the match with a 10-6 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the ACC. The Cardinals are 13-4 overall, including a perfect 6-0 in conference play.
NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE
Location: Louisville, Ky.
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Twitter Updates: @NDVolleyball
Game Notes: Louisville Game Notes
SERIES HISTORY VS. LOUISVILLE
Notre Dame and Louisville will meet for the 36th time ever on Wednesday with the Irish holding a 21-14 advantage in the all-time series. The last Notre Dame victory over Louisville came in straight-set fashion on September 23, 2016.
DOMINATING DEFENSE
The Irish have been great on defense this season, holding opponents to a hitting percentage of just .153, which tops the ACC and ranks 16th in the country. The Irish have held four opponents under .100 this season.
One of the main reasons the Irish defense is playing so well is the ability of the backline to generate big dig numbers. Notre Dame paces the ACC in digs per set with an average of 16.88. DeJarld leads the way for the Irish, averaging an ACC-best 5.36 digs per set. The senior also leads the ACC with 311 total digs this season.
BREAK OUT THE BROOMS
Eight of Notre Dame’s 10 wins have come in straight-set fashion during the 2018 season. The Irish have recorded sweeps over Weber State, Toledo, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Miami (OH), Chattanooga, UNC and Clemson. Notre Dame’s most recent straight-set victory came at Clemson on September 30.
FEATURED FRESHMEN
The freshman duo of Zoe Nunez and Charley Niego have made a big impact on the court for the Irish this season. Niego is second on the team with 170 kills and 169 digs while Nunez has racked up a team-high 590 assists through 16 matches. Another freshman, Sydney Bent, is third on the team with 105 kills.