Box Score
SHEPERDSTOWN, W.Va. – The Notre Dame Falcons were back in action for the first time since last Friday, and they fell in four sets to the Shepherd Rams. 

For the Falcons (8-8, 1-2 MEC) the contest was their first on the road since Sept. 13, and the loss drops their record to 1-4 away from South Euclid, while the victory for the Rams (7-9, 2-1 MEC) was their second in their last three contests overall.

Shepherd took control early on, as they score the first four points of the opening set, and never looked back. Notre Dame put a little charge together late, but came up short in the opening set, as Shepherd pulled away, 25-20. 

It was more of the same in the second set, as Shepherd used a 6-0 lead to take an early advantage, but Notre Dame responded with a 7-2 run to cut the Shepherd lead to one (8-7). Shepherd scored six of the next seven points, and endured a pair of modest runs from NDC, to come away with a 25-22 victory. 

The Falcons didn't allow the Rams to take a big early lead in the third set, as the set remained very closely contested until Notre Dame caught fire halfway through. Shepherd had a 13-12 lead, when NDC went on a 9-2 run to take a 21-15 lead, and won the set, 25-21. 

Shepherd used a hot start in the final set to pull away from the victory. The Rams scored six of the first eight points in the final set, and came away with a 25-16 victory to win the match. 

Natalie Spadaro and Melissa Maczuzak led the Falcons with 10 kills each, and Maczuzak added 11 digs to go along with a trio of service aces. Ali Kaeberlein led NDC with 15 digs, while Tawny Flareau paced the Flacons with 29 assists. Morgan Toman added six kills, nine digs and three blocks. 

Notre Dame returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 1, when they square off against Fairmont State, in Fairmont, W.Va. at 11 a.m.