SOUTH EUCLID, OH – The Notre Dame College volleyball team welcomed former head coach Travis Hinkle and the Fairmont State Falcons to Murphy Gymnasium on Friday evening for NDC's 2021 home opener, marking the first contest inside Murphy in which spectators were allowed, since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Fairmont State got the job done in straight sets moving FSU to 10-5 (1-1 MEC) and dropping NDC to 10-7 (1-1 MEC).
In front of a packed crowd in Murphy Gymnasium the two teams duked it out in set one. After NDC grabbed back-to-back points making it 22-24, putting the pressure back on FSU, they responded with a Julia DiPaola kill to take set one 22-25. Set two saw much of the same action as the two Falcons fought back and forth until Fairmont State snagged the final two points of the set via DiPaola to take it, 20-25. In set three, Notre Dame was determined to keep fighting by scoring four of five points to take a 13-12 lead. FSU would rattle off eight of the next nine points to take a commanding 20-15 lead, which they would later hold onto for the match, 25-19 on another kill by DiPaola.
On offense,
Kelsie Palmer paved the way with ten kills, followed by
Brittany Miller with seven,
Grace Smotek with five,
Blaire Barr and
Samantha Comer each with four, and
Katie Richardson and
Carli Derda each with one apiece.
McKenzie Andrix and
Jayme Zoeckler facilitated the attack and led the team with 16 and 12 assists, respectively.
On defense,
Amelia Kaeberlein was the team leader in digs with 17. Zoeckler and
Kiley Kalina also had double-digit digs with 12 and 10 respectively. Andrix (8), Smotek (8), Palmer (5), Miller (5), Barr (5) and Richardson (5) all did their jobs by digging several balls as well. At the net, Derda (2.5), Barr (2), Richardson (1.5), Palmer (1), and Miller (1) all blocked a handful of Fairmont State's attacks.
In total, NDC managed 32 kills on 140 total attacks (.079 hit percentage), with 32 assists, 77 digs, eight blocks and one service ace. FSU generated 43 kills on 153 total attacks (.150 hit percentage), with 41 assists, 78 digs, nine blocks and five service aces.
Notre Dame College volleyball will have a quick turnaround and have the opportunity to bounce back on Saturday Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. when they welcome Frostburg State to town.
