Pepper Pike, Ohio -- Two nights after capturing their first American Mideast Conference victory of the season, the Notre Dame Falcons fell on the road to Ursuline, 3-0.
The loss for the Falcons (3-25, 1-7) spoiled their bid at winning consecutive matches for the first time this season, and gives them eight losses away from Murphy Gymnasium. For the Arrows (15-13, 3-5), the victory was their first since defeating Central State on Oct. 12, and was their first against the Falcons since 2007. The Falcons are 17-5 all time against Ursuline, and have suffered all five losses away from home.
Notre Dame fought hard in the first set, but fell by two points, dropping the opening set, 25-23. Ursuline took a 2-0 lead after a 25-18 victory in the second set, and then put the match away by hitting .412 in the final set, to win the match with a 25-21 victory.
#Kari Kincannon# paced Notre Dame with nine 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 32 assists, giving her 94 in her last two matches. Senior #Cristin Brown had 24 digs on the night, while Suvak ended up with 19. Thomas also led the Falcons with a pair of solo blocks.
The Falcons will be back in action again on Saturday, Oct. 23, when they head to Erie, Pa., for a non-conference matchup with Gannon. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
NOTES FROM THE NEST …
ROAD TRIP: The Falcons are coming to the end of a stretch where they will play four straight matches on the road, 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 2-18 between road matches and matches played at neutral sites.
GOING ON THE DEFENSIVE: Junior #Natalie Houdek# leads Notre Dame this season with 59 total blocks, including 32 solos. Freshmen
Taylor Thomas ranks second on the team, with 56 total blocks, and
Brianne Schmansky is third with 41.
SETTING THE TABLE: Pugliese is Notre Dame's leader in assists this season with 791, averaging 8.23 assists per set. She has dished out 20 or more assists in 13 consecutive matches. The sophomore from Ashtabula, Ohio, also ranks fourth on the team with 164 digs, behind Brown, Suvak and Lauren Turner.
