UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio – The Notre Dame College volleyball team mounted an impressive comeback at John Carroll University in their fifth game of the season to improve to 3-2. After the Blue Streaks got out to a 2-0 lead, NDC fought back to win the final three sets.
 
JCU won sets one and two by a combined total of 12 points and it looked like they were going to win set three after going up 22-18.
 
"The first two set we started off really slow," said head coach Troy Haught. "I think the biggest thing was offensively, the only person putting it down was Mel. We tried to switch it up; our ball control and serve receive were there, but we just couldn't connect."
 
Melissa Maczuzak, the lone upper classman for the Falcons, said the team gained back some composure after going into the locker room down 0-2.
 
"Basically we said that we need to regroup and relax," Maczuzak said. "We were all frustrated so we needed that break to come back as a team."
 
Eventually things clicked for NDC as the team scored the final seven points in the third set to win 25-22. The Falcons used that momentum to win the fourth set 25-16 and the fifth set 15-11.
 
"The third set really turned things around for us," Haught said. "Everyone offensively started to get going and no one had an answer for Mel once the whole team started to click. The biggest thing was having [Paige Staudacher] set our hitters well and put them in a position to score."
 
Maczuzak was a big part of the win for the Falcons, recording 19 kills to just four errors for an attack percentage of .385. Maczuzak was consistent overall throughout the evening, adding 18 digs.
 
The senior credits her setter, Staudacher, along with some internal motivation for her success.
 
"Paige and I were definitely connecting," Maczuzak said. "And I was definitely pumped up for this down-the-street rivalry. Mainly I was focused on hitting it as hard as I could because that's how our coach wants us to play."
 
Maczuzak said the team knew it would be a close game after going to five sets with the Blue Streaks in the 2016 home opener.
 
Not only did momentum and Maczuzak's performance help the Falcons secure a win, but the game plan also played a large role.
 
"In the second half of the match we were able to get them out of system a lot more," Haught said. "We had them running to the outside, which made defense a lot easier for us."
 
Offensively, NDC not only did Staudacher perform well as a setter (52 assists), but she was able to score as well with six kills.
 
"We talk a lot about running our five-one offense and how if we are going to set up in the front row that she has to be a hitter," Haught said. "If she doesn't attack, then it pins our blockers more often. So we like having her as a threat to score. She did a really nice job coming in as a sophomore and taking on the offense."
 
The Falcons spread the ball around well with three players recording double-digit kills. Mary Kate McHugh (17) and Natalie Spadaro (11) joined Maczuzak as the offensive leaders. Defensively, Ali Kaeberlein led the team with 21 digs while Riley Coleman and Laura Krupar each had 10.
 
Staudacher's 52 assists rank eighth all-time in NDC history (since 2008*).
 
Notre Dame will head to the Mountain East/PSAC Crossover event on Friday and Saturday, September 8 and 9. The Falcons will play Indiana University of Pennsylvania in their first match at 1 p.m. on Friday.