ASHLAND, Ohio – The Notre Dame College volleyball team (1-4), traveled down to Ashland University (2-3) on Tuesday evening for a nonconference bout. The Eagles got the best of the Falcons on this occasion, 3-0. Sophomore
Samantha Comer's team-high seven kills and senior
Carli Derda's .364 hitting percentage highlighted the match for NDC.
In the first set, the two sides were evenly matched as neither team scored more than three points in a row, resulting in 11 different times where the score was tied. AU held a narrow 10-8 lead, before NDC rattled off three consecutive points to jump in front 11-10. After more back and forth action, Comer cut the Eagle's lead to one (22-21) with a kill. However, Ashland finished off the set with three points a row to claim set one, 25-21.
Continuing their momentum from the first, AU moved in front 12-1 during the second stanza, before winning the set 25-8.
During the final set, Notre Dame featured a burst of energy by going ahead 6-4 after another three-point run, capped off by a Comer kill. The Eagles would respond with ten straight points to grab a comfortable 14-6 lead. AU finished off the set and match, 25-12.
As aforementioned, Comer paced the Falcons attack with seven kills, followed by senior
Kaye Dregalla with six and Derda with five. Sophomore
Jayme Zoeckler set up the attack as she accounted for 24 of the 25 assists for NDC on the evening.
Defensively, sophomore
Kiley Kalina and junior
Ellie Schenk contributed four digs apiece, leading the team. At the net, freshman
Ryleigh Ronald and Comer swatted two balls each.
As a team, Notre Dame generated 27 kills on 87 total attacks (.103), with 25 assists, 21 digs and two blocks.
Notre Dame College will be back in action for the Malone Invitational on Friday and Saturday Sept. 2-3. The Falcons will first face the host school (MU) at 10 a.m. on Friday before closing out the day with Davenport at 4:45 p.m. NDC will also play a pair of matches on Saturday with Bloomsburg at 11:15 a.m., followed by Edinboro at 6:00 p.m.
