CONCORD, W.Va. – A historic performance by the Notre Dame College volleyball team (12-16, 6-6 MEC) on Saturday afternoon, paved the way to a four-set victory over Concord University (6-22, 0-12 MEC). Sophomore Samantha Comer registered the seventh-most kills in a match in NDC program history, while fellow sophomore Caris Cross logged 56 assists, the fifth-most in a contest in school history. In addition, NDC generated 64 kills as a team, which is the second-most in a four-set match in team history. Moreover, the Falcons tallied 60 assists, rewriting the program record book for most assists in a four-set match.
 
Notre Dame College jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, following a kill by junior Brittany Miller. Concord answered with a 5-0 run, moving the score to 9-8 NDC. The Falcons responded by reclaiming a commanding 21-14 advantage, following senior Carli Derda's kill. Notre Dame rounded out the set with back-to-back kills from Comer, as the Galion, Ohio native posted eight kills on eight attempts in the first stanza. NDC claimed set one, 25-19.
 
The Falcons leapt out to another early lead at 7-2, after Miller registered a kill. Notre Dame would hang on to the lead the entire set, despite the Mountain Lions trimming the score as close as 12-10. Following a pair of CU attack errors, NDC secured set two, 25-20.
 
NDC used a 7-2 run at the beginning of the third set, to jump on top 7-4. Concord clawed their way back into the frame and posted a 12-5 spurt over the middle of the set, taking 22-17 lead. The Falcons pulled the contest to within two (23-21 CU), but the Mountain Lions grabbed the final points of the stanza, to win 25-21.
 
In the fourth and final set, NDC held a narrow 4-1 lead, before CU grabbed six of the next seven points, claiming a 7-5 edge. Next, Concord scored a 6-2 run, opening their largest lead of the frame at 16-11. The Falcons answered with a short 4-0 run, but the Mountain Lions reopened a five-point advantage with a 6-2 counterattack (22-17 CU). With the game on the line, Notre Dame anchored down and produced 11 of the last 14 points, earning a 28-26 victory. Despite facing a set point for Concord at 26-25, NDC stuck to their game plan, securing the final three points of the match for the second day in a row.
 
As aforementioned, Comer controlled the contest from start to finish with a game-high and career-high 24 kills. The Galion High School product's 24 kills are tied for the fourth-most in a four-set match in school history, as her mark is also tied for the seventh-most kills in any match in program history.
 
Comer was joined by Derda and freshman Ryleigh Ronald who had 11 kills each on the day. For Derda, it is a new career mark.
 
Cross facilitated the NDC attack on the afternoon with her previously stated 56 assists. The Bedford, Michigan native set a new career-high with the total, as well as setting the NDC program record for most assists in a four-set match, breaking Paige Staudacher's 54-assist game back on Oct. 13, 2017 (at Concord). Moreover, Cross is tied for the fifth-most dimes in any match in school history.
 
Defensively, sophomore libero Kiley Kalina flashed a game-high 27 kills, along with junior Ellie Schenk who tied her career-high with 19. Lastly, Cross also set a new Falcon career-high with 15 digs on the day.
 
As a team, Notre Dame had 64 kills on a .262 hit percentage, to go with 60 assists, 92 digs, five blocks and seven service aces. In comparison, GSU had 59 kills on a .218 hit percentage, to go with 56 assists, 85 digs, four blocks and five aces.
 
The Notre Dame College volleyball team will be back in action on Tuesday Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. when Fairmont State University comes to Murphy Gymnasium.