PITTSBURGH -- On Saturday, Notre Dame competed in a tri-match hosted by Point Park University (Pa.). The Falcons split two matches, losing to the host Point Park Pioneers before defeating Fairmont State (W. Va.). Notre Dame (14-7, 2-3 AMC) fell below .500 in the American Mideast Conference in their opener against PPU, with a 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 20-25, 25-17) loss.

The Falcons bounced back to earn a 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) win over FSU. That victory snapped a three-match losing streak for NDC, their longest of the season.

Setter Kate Verhoff (Elyria, Ohio) led the NDC effort on the day, collecting 25 points (20K, 1A, 4B) over the two matches.

The Falcons hit just .130 in their four-set loss to Point Park (9-13). NDC's attack percentage against the Pioneers in the first set was .103. As NDC struggled to find an offensive rythm, that figure dipped to .034 in the second frame. Verhoff would tally 11 kills, 14 assists, and 18 digs in the match; all three were team highs for the contest.

The Falcon frontcourt got in gear for NDC's afternoon match against Fairmount State. In that three-set shutout, Notre Dame hit .310. Verhoff again led the way in the match against FSU - she had nine kills while hitting .529. The NDC co-captain also recorded 27 assists and a pair of solo blocks.

Sophomore Cristin Brown (University Heights, Ohio) collected a team match-high 19 digs in the 3-0 win; she had 35 digs in the two matches combined.

Notre Dame will be back in action on Tuesday, when they make the short trip to Pepper Pike to take on Ursuline. The match against the Arrows is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

THE OTHER FALCONS: Saturday's test against Fairmont State marked the first ever meeting between NDC and FSU. Fairmont State is located in Fairmont, W. Va. The Fighting Falcons came into Saturday's action in Pittsburgh with a 7-10 season record.

POINT MADE: Notre Dame's loss to Point Park is just the Falcons' second in the 16-match series history between the two programs. NDC had been 14-1 against PPU, with 13 straight wins in the series before Saturday. The Falcons and Pioneers first met in 1999.

BIG DIG: Cristin Brown's 19 digs against Fairmont State Saturday stand as a new single-match high for the Falcons this season. Brown topped her personal season best twice Saturday (16 against PPU) - her previous best for digs in a match was 15. For the season, the Villa Angela-St. Joseph product has 137 digs (3.11/set). ... Jessica Parks' (Mesquite, Texas) 3.38 digs per set lead the team this season. AS a team, NDC ranks 10th in the AMC in digs, with 15.8 per set.