SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame College volleyball team (6-10, 4-3 MEC) soared to a straight set victory over Concord University (14-7, 4-3 MEC) on Saturday afternoon, as the Falcons are now 4-0 inside Murphy Gymnasium to begin the year for the second season in a row.
 
"This week has been fantastic for us, we have been battling so hard and trying to get this team 100% bought in and it is finally starting to feel that way," mentioned head coach Erica Kostelac postgame, when asked about the perfect week inside The Murph. "We have been going through it this season, we have had a lot of injuries, we have a small roster, but we are finally banning together and feels like the switch has finally happened."
 
The Mountain Lions jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in set one, but the Falcons clawed back to tie the frame at 9-9. NDC grabbed their first lead of the set, after a 4-0 run which was highlighted by a pair of Bray kills (16-14). In addition, Notre Dame finished a hard-fought frame with kills form Bray and Zoeckler, 26-24.
 
The Falcons carried their momentum into the second set by leaping to a 9-4 advantage as Diamond Baker posted back-to-back kills. The two sides went back-and-forth until Concord nabbed six of eight points to knot the contest at 16-16. Notre Dame anchored down to secure five of the final six points in the set to win 25-21.
 
Notre Dame was eager for their third sweep of the season, as NDC led 12-8 in set three as a result of a 5-0 run. The Falcons continued to dismantle the Mountain Lions by posting a 9-3 spurt, to move in front 21-13. Three consecutive kills from Lilliana Mook, Bray and Zoeckler pushed Notre Dame across the finish line, 25-16.
 
"Now I have to buy them ice cream on Monday because that is my promise to them every time we sweep the week and they were sure to remind me of that after the game today," said Kostelac happily. "Reagan [Stempin] stepped up to the plate. She is our setter who turned right side at the beginning of the year and then she played outside all week and then she played middle today, so she has been thrown around but she handles it like a champ and has been a great sport about it and performed very well as well."
 
Offensively, Bray paced the squad with a game-high 18 kills, followed by Samantha Comer with 12 kills and Baker with eight on a blazing .800 attack percentage.
 
The Falcons were consistently set up by Zoeckler who posted a game-high 38 assists, and tied for the game-high with 13 digs, totaling her eighth double-double of the year. Junior libero Kiley Kalina also tallied 13 digs, as Bray dug 10 to record her eighth double-double.
 
As a whole, Notre Dame flashed 51 kills on a .339 attack percentage, to go with 48 assists, 59 digs, six aces and five blocks. The Falcons efficient outing paved the way for the third-most kills in a three-set match in NDC program history (most since Oct. 20, 2009), and tied for the second-most assists in a three-set match in program history (most since Nov. 15, 2019).
 
"Our freshman have been stepping up all season and our freshman have a huge roll on this team. To have Diamond [Baker] hit over .800 is absurd. Sydney is consistent, as cool as a cucumber. Lilly [Mook] has been stepping up and it finally feels like we are starting to gel together."
 
The Notre Dame College volleyball team will be back in action on Friday Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. as the Falcons head to West Virginia State University.