PEPPER PIKE, Ohio --  Notre Dame shot down Ursuline Tuesday night in Pepper Pike, 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-20, 31-29), to even their American Mideast Conference (AMC) record at 3-3.

Junior Jessica Parks (Mesquite, Texas) led the Notre Dame (15-7) attack, with 16.5 points (15K, 1.5B). Parks also added 17 digs. As a team, the Falcons hit .233 in defeating Ursuline (9-13, 1-5) for a sixth time in the last seven meetings between the two programs.

“We played well at times,” said head coach Mark Ridley.  “At other moments, we didn't play our game.  But overall, we have some injury problems, and when some reserves step in like they did tonight, that's always good to see.”

Those reserves included Brittney Passig (Jr./Niles, Mich.), who tallied five kills in the fourth and deciding set between the Falcons and Arrows.  Freshman Rachel Schwartz (Sturgis, Mich.) came off the bench to produce on the defensive end; she had nine digs in the final frame.  In that final set, a tense 31-29 affair, Notre Dame committed 10 hitting errors but still managed to escape with the 3-1 victory.

On a well-rounded attack, Parks led the way with 15 kills.  Junior Kate Verhoff (Elyria, Ohio) added 14, and sophomore Jessica Suvak (Independence, Ohio) added 12.  Verhoff also contributed 46 assists.

The match was played just blocks away from NDC's South Euclid campus, but it nonetheless runs the Falcons' road record this season to 5-2.  The match also marked the 20th in the all-time Notre Dame-Ursuline series.  With their win, NDC is now 16-4 against UC.  The Falcons are 6-4 on the road against the Arrows.

Notre Dame's season will continue Saturday, when the Falcons travel to Amherst, N.Y. to compete in a tri-match hosted by Daemen College.  NDC will get in two conference matches, squaring off against Rio Grande at 1 p.m. and the host Wildcats at 3 p.m.


NOTES FROM THE NEST...

GETTING HEALTHY:  The Ursuline match kicked off a string of three AMC tilts against teams near the bottom of the league standings.  In playing Ursuline, Rio Grande, and Daemen in consecutive matches, the Falcons will be up against teams that are a combined 2-10 in AMC matches (as of Oct. 7). … After the match against the Arrows, Notre Dame has eight AMC contests remaining on its 2008 schedule.

SEASON HIGHS:  Jessica Suvak tied a personal season-high with her 12 kills at Ursuline.  Kate Verhoff's 14 were a new season-best for her. … Notre Dame's 79 digs mark a new four-set high for the 2008 season.

MISS CONSISTENT:  Verhoff hit .357 for the match, with 14 kills and just four errors in 28 attempts.  That makes eight consecutive .300 matches for the junior setter.  For the season, Verhoff is hitting .367, which ranks first on the team and third in the AMC.