SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- One night after snapping a 14 match losing streak, the Blue Knights of Urbana University spoiled Notre Dame's opportunity at winning consecutive games for the first time this season, as they defeated the Falcons , 3-0, at Murphy Gymnasium on Monday. (Box)

For the Falcons (2-23, 0-5) the loss gives them 14 in their last 15 matches, and dropped their record at home to 1-7 on the season. For the Blue Knights (7-16), the victory snaps a three game losing streak, and brought a two game losing skid against the Falcons to an end.

The two teams went back and forth, exchanging points for most of the first set, and they were tied at 18-18, before the Blue Knights pulled away by going on a 7-3 run to take a 25-21 victory. Notre Dame proved to be extremely resilient in the second set. The Blue Knights jumped out to an early 5-0 lead, and led by as many as 10. Down 15-5, Notre Dame rallied and found themselves tied with Urbana at 23-23, before the Blue Knights recovered and scored the final two points to take the second set. The roles were reversed in the final set, as the Falcons established an early 5-0 advantage, and led by as many as six. The Falcons had an 8-2 edge, but Urbana came storming back and won the final set, 25-15.

“I thought we were much better in the first two sets, but kind of let down in that third set,” said Head Coach #Mark Ridley#. “I was proud of the way our girls performed in those first two sets, and especially the way they came back in the second set.”

In her return to the starting lineup, #Kari Kincannon# paced the Falcons with 10 kills on the evening, while #Jessica Suvak#, #Brianne Schmansky#, and #Taylor Thomas# chipped in with seven a piece. #Tayler Pugliese# once again led the Falcons with 31 assists, and added five digs. Defensively, Houdek produced three solo blocks, while #Cristin Brown# delivered 20 digs and Suvak contributed with 15.

The Falcons will be back in action again on Saturday, Oct. 16, when they head to Amherst, N.Y., for an American Mideast Conference matchup with Daemen. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST …

LONG ROAD AHEAD: Tuesday's match against Urbana marks Notre Dame's last home game for a couple of weeks. The Falcons will play four straight on the road after Tuesday's tilt, and don't come back to College Road again until Tuesday, Oct. 26. Notre Dame's first victory came away from College Road, as they are a combined 1-16 between road matches and matches played at neutral sites.

BLOCK PARTY: Natalie Houdek is Notre Dame's leader on the season with 53 total blocks, including 29 solos. Freshmen Taylor Thomas ranks second on the team, with 47 total blocks.

DIGGING DEEP: In posting 20 digs on Tuesday, senior Cristin Brown has registered double digit digs in 20 out of 21 matches this season. Brown now has 333 digs on the season.