WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – After a pair of five-set battles on Friday, the Notre Dame College volleyball team strapped up for day two of the MEC/PSAC Crossover on Saturday afternoon. Notre Dame fought to a split, after playing Clarion to four sets, before taking out Millersville in straight sets. Freshman Ryleigh Ronald and junior McKenzie Andrix generated career performances in game two to grab the win. In addition, Andrix notched 41 assists which is the fourth highest total in a three-set match in NDC program history, and the most since 2019. Moreover, as a unit, Notre Dame set the three-set program record for digs with 95 in said match.
 
In match one, NDC and Clarion went back and forth to a score of 11-11, with seven different tie scores in between. Next, Notre Dame opened up a 14-4 run to handily take the first set 25-15. Junior Brittany Miller stayed red hot from a night ago by capping off the frame with a kill, and marking the second set dropped by CU on the season in nine previous matches (28 sets).
 
The Golden Eagles put their foot on the gas during the second, third and fourth sets, by claiming each by way of 25-12. CU jumped ahead 19-7 in the second, 17-6 in the third and 18-6 in the fourth before eventually capping each frame off.
 
In the second match, Notre Dame once again came out of the gate firing on all cylinders by claiming a 9-4 lead. Senior's Blaire Barr and Kaye Dregalla tallied a pair of kills each during the run. However, Millersville would claw their way back into the set by taking a 15-14 lead. After the Marauders led 19-18, the Falcons flipped the script with a 7-2 run to win the stanza 25-21. Senior Carli Derda highlighted the run with a pair of kills.
 
Notre Dame jolted out to another early lead during the second set, with the scoreboard showing 8-2. This time, NDC was able to maintain a commanding lead for the entire set as the score was never within four points. Dregalla, Miller and Ronald all aided the Falcon attack as NDC won 25-19.
 
Looking for the sweep, Notre Dame began up 6-4 before Millersville opened a 5-0 run, claiming a 9-6 lead. Next, NDC began a run of their own by securing six of the next eight points to move in front 12-11. However, the Marauders were back on the attack by winning eight of the next nine points to grab a 19-13 lead. Again, the Falcons answered the bell by ripping off a 9-1 run to move back ahead, 22-20. Ronald contributed five kills to the NDC attack during the latter half of the set to notch her career-high.
 
Leading Notre Dame on the day (two games) was Dregalla and Miller's 17 kills apiece, followed by Ronald's career best, 16. Andrix assumed the setting duties and tallied 63 assists on the day. As aforementioned, Andrix tied her career-high with 41 in match two, which is also good for the fourth most assists in a three-set match in program history. Her mark of 41, is one assist shy of three separate occasions, most recently Paige Staudacher's 42 in 2019.
 
Defensively, sophomore libero Kiley Kalina paced the team in digs during both matches and recorded 50 on the day. At the net, Derda swatted a team best six attacks on the afternoon.
 
In total during the first match, NDC produced 28 kills on .060 hitting percentage, to go with 27 assists, 67 digs and six blocks.
 
During the second match, Notre Dame toppled the team program record for digs in a three-set match with 95, besting the previous mark of 90 set back on Sept. 20, 2019 vs. Slippery Rock. Going with the record setting performance, the Falcons generated 49 kills during the match with is tied for the fourth most by the team in a three-set match in program history. Notre Dame also added, a .188 hitting percentage, to go with 41 assists two blocks and two service aces.
 
The Notre Dame College volleyball team will be back in action on Tuesday Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. when they return to Murphy Gymnasium to host neighboring John Carroll University.