SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Notre Dame split two matches on Saturday, as the Falcons hosted Daemen (N.Y.) and Rio Grande in a tri-match at Murphy Gymnasium. NDC lost to Daemen, 3-1, and shut out URG, 3-0.  (Match-1 Box | Match 2 Box)

Senior #Jessica Parks# paced Notre Dame over their two matches. In seven sets, the Mesquite, Texas, native had 29 points (24K-1 SA-4.5B). Playing a solid floor game, Parks had 24 kills and 23 digs. Fellow senior #Kate Verhoff# hit .359 on the strength of 15 kills; she added 75 assists and 20 digs. Junior #Mandy Bastian# had 44 digs.

The day's first match pitted Notre Dame against Daemen in a match-up of American Mideast Conference teams fighting to stay alive in the league's race for five postseason slots. Both teams came into the day two matches under .500 in AMC play.

In that opening match, NDC won the first set, 25-19, and then lost the second, 25-15. The two teams then played two well-played event sets, but with Daemen coming up with big points late in each for the 3-1 win. The Wildcats took the third set, 25-23, and the fourth, 26-24.

Notre Dame was out-hit in the Daemen match, .230 to .079. Jessica Parks had 17.5 points (14K-1 SA-1.5B) to lead the Falcons. NDC had eight blocks in the match, their most since Oct. 6.

In the nightcap, Notre Dame swept Rio Grande in straight sets, with the Falcons hitting .345. Parks had 10 kills in the victory, which marked the Falcons' first in five matches. #Jessica Suvak# and Kate Verhoff combined to add 13 kills without a hitting error.

Notre Dame (13-14, 3-6) hit .095, .297, and .467 over the three sets against the Red Storm.

Notre Dame's busy October continues on Tuesday, Oct. 20, when the Falcons welcome the Celtics of Carlow University to Murphy Gymnasium. That AMC match is slated for a 7 p.m. first serve. 


NOTES FROM THE NEST…

PARKS DEPARTMENT: Jessica Parks' 17.5 points in Saturday's opener marked her most in a match since garnering 20.5 against Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) on Sept. 11. For the season, the 5-foot-9 hitter has 119 kills (2.12 per set) and an attack percentage of .182. Parks leads the squad in blocks per set (0.71).

VISITORS LOCKER ROOM: In the second match of the three that NDC hosted on Saturday, Daemen defeated Rio Grande, 3-1.