Sept. 4, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After showing improvement during every match last weekend at the Blue Raider Bash, the University of Notre Dame volleyball team gets back to action this weekend in South Orange, New Jersey at the Seton Hall Classic.
The Irish (1-2) are set to meet the host Pirates (7 p.m. ET Friday), Temple (12 p.m. ET Saturday) and Hofstra (5:30 p.m. ET Saturday) in a four-team tournament.
Seton Hall Classic (Host: Seton Hall)
South Orange, New Jersey (Walsh Gymnasium)
Sept. 4-5, 2015
Weekend Schedule
Friday, Sept. 4
4:30 p.m.: Temple vs. Hofstra
7 p.m.: Notre Dame at Seton Hall – & Live Video
Saturday, Sept. 5
10 a.m.: Hofstra at Seton Hall
12 p.m.: Notre Dame vs. Temple – 5:30 p.m.: Notre Dame vs. Hofstra – 7:30 p.m.: Temple @ Seton Hall
Updates
Facebook – /NDVolleyball / Twitter – @NDVolleyball / Instagram – NDVBall
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Here are five things you need to know to be prepared for the Seton Hall Classic.
- The Irish showed improvement in each match last weekend, as they lost in four sets to Bowling Green and in five frames to Cleveland State before picking up a 3-1 victory over Middle Tennessee State to close out the Blue Raider Bash … ND led in both of the first two matches (1-0 over Bowling Green & 2-1 over Cleveland State) before faltering down the stretch.
- Notre Dame is meeting up with a long-time BIG EAST opponent in Seton Hall in the tournament’s opening match (7 p.m. ET Friday) … the Irish are a perfect 18-0 against the Pirates, with the first win coming in 1995 and the last coming in 2012 … ND has lost just four sets to Seton Hall and has never had a match go to five sets over the years.
- The Irish aren’t quite as familiar with the other two opponents this weekend … Notre Dame holds a 2-1 lead over Hofstra, but hasn’t played the Pride since 1996 … the Irish and the Owls have never met on the volleyball court.
- Junior co-captain Katie Higgins had a monster opening weekend in earning Blue Raider Bash all-tournament team honors … she reached double figures in kills in all three matches, including tallying a career-high 20 versus Cleveland State … she also had two service aces in every match and recorded three or more blocks in each contest … the Kearney, Nebraska native leads Notre Dame in kills (43), service aces (6) and blocks (11) heading into the Seton Hall Classic.
- Four freshmen played a key role in the Irish rotation in Tennessee … libero Ryann DeJarld and defensive specialist Kelly Byrne played in all 13 sets, while middle blocker Meg Morningstar and outside hitter Rebecca Nunge played in 10 and six sets, respectively … fans will want to keep an eye out on Morningstar, who had a superb match in the middle against Middle Tennessee State … the Wexford, Pennsylvania native hit .474 and had 10 kills and a team-high five blocks to help lead the Irish to victory … DeJarld, meanwhile, became the third Irish freshman in the last four years to start a season at libero … she came through with 22 digs in her first collegiate match against Bowling Green.
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Season and individual match tickets for Notre Dame volleyball are on sale. 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) and Instagram (NDVBall).
–Russell Dorn, Athletics Communications Assistant Director
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