CANTON, Ohio – The second weekend of the 2022 season featured Notre Dame College at the Hall of Fame City Classic, hosted by Malone University. The Falcons saw the host institution, MU, during the morning match and fell 3-1. Junior Kelsie Palmer carried NDC on the offensive end with a team-high and season-high 12 kills, to go along with her ultra-efficient .522 hit percentage. In the evening match, Notre Dame was defeated by Davenport in straight sets, despite a valiant third set effort.
 
In the opening match, NDC got down 11-7, before cutting the Pioneer lead to 11-10 and 16-15. However, MU rattled off six straight points, and despite a late Falcon run, Malone took the set 25-20.
 
After getting down 13-9 in the second set, Notre Dame was able to capitalize off of a handful of MU errors, to grab a 14-13 lead. Again, Malone stepped it up at the end of the set to win 25-19.
 
In the third set, Notre Dame took the early lead 9-2, after back-to-back Falcon kills by Palmer and sophomore Samantha Comer. NDC was able to keep a strong hold on the set, as they led by four or more points for the entire time. Junior Brittany Miller generated back-to-back kills to polish off the set in favor of Notre Dame, 25-16.
 
In the final set, NDC got down early (9-2), and never could fully rebound. The Falcons fought until the very end by stealing seven of eight points to claim a 23-22 lead. But, MU finished off the match, 25-23.
 
As aforementioned, Palmer paced the offense with 12 kills on .522 hit percentage, followed by Comer with 11 and Derda with eight. Sophomore Jayme Zoeckler dished out 33 assists to lead the team.
 
Defensively, sophomores Kiley Kalina and Grace Smotek notched season-highs in digs at 18 and 12, respectively. At the net, freshman Ryleigh Ronald and Comer posted career-highs with five blocks apiece.
 
 As a team, NDC had 47 kills on .172 hit percentage, to go with 38 assists, 59 digs, six service aces and eight blocks.
 
In the second match, Notre Dame got behind early, 12-5 but fought back to only trail 16-14 after senior Carli Derda's service ace. However, Davenport finished the set strong, winning 25-17.
 
During the second set, the Falcons played well and moved in front 11-6. Again, the Panthers used a strong end to the stanza and claimed the frame 25-22.
 
The Falcons brought the energy during the final set and jumped in front 5-0 and 11-2 after a pair of senior Blaire Barr's kills and a handful of Panther errors. DU would claw their way back into the set after a 5-0 run, leaving the NDC lead at 15-12. Davenport was able to tie the frame at 20-20 before eventually winning 25-22.
 
Comer and Kaye Dregalla led the squad in the second match with seven kills apiece. Zoeckler managed the setting once more, with a team-high 14 assists.
 
On the other side, Kalina led the team again with 12 digs followed by Zoeckler's nine (ties season-high). At the net, Derda and Barr hoisted season-high marks with six and five blocks, respectively.
 
As a unit, Notre Dame grabbed 27 kills on .129 hit percentage, to go with 22 assists, 35 digs, five service aces and eight blocks.
 
Notre Dame College will be back in action tomorrow Sept. 3 for day two of the Hall of Fame City Classic. The Falcons will play Bloomsburg at 11:15 a.m., before concluding with Edinboro at 6 p.m.