BUFFALO, N.Y. — Labor Day provided a Monday matinee between Notre Dame College volleyball and D'Youville College, a match in which NDC won 3-1. This moves the Falcons to 5-0 on the season, which is their best start through five games in the past 20 years. The Saints fall to 0-4 in 2021.
 
NDC dominated the match early winning the first set 25-8. But D'Youville fought back hard to take set two 22-25. This was the second set that Notre Dame has dropped on the season in 17 sets. The Falcons reasserted dominance in the pivotal third set winning it 25-10. NDC outlasted D'Youville in the fourth and final set 25-20 to complete a 5-0 weekend road trip to begin their 2021 campaign.
 
Freshman Samantha Comer led the attack for Notre Dame with 12 kills and a hit percentage of .478. Other Falcons recording kills were Kelsie Palmer (9), Kaye Dregalla (8), Carli Derda (8), Katie Richardson (7), Blaire Barr (5), Grace Smotek (4), Brittany Miller (1) and Lucy Smith (1).
 
McKenzie Andrix (24) and Jayme Zoeckler (18) led Notre Dame in assists on the day. Amelia Kaeberlein also added seven assists of her own. Their ball movement was critical in the quality of attacks for Comer and company.
 
Kaeberlein continues to do what she does best, and that is lead NDC in digs. The Libero did so once again with 22 digs against the Saints. Andrix (11), Ellie Schenk (10) and Smotek (8) added several digs of their own.
 
In total, Notre Dame had seven service aces, three by Kaeberlein. The Falcons tallied ten team blocks, led by Derda wreaking havoc on the D'Youville attack. The Falcons had 55 team kills, 52 assists and 73 digs.
 
Notre Dame College will be back in action on Friday at 11 a.m. against Mercyhurst in the Cavalier Invitational. This match is one of four matches the Falcons will play over the weekend as a part of the invitational held in North Canton, Ohio.