SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – An all-around performance inside Murphy Gymnasium led to a 3-0 sweep for the Notre Dame College volleyball team (3-8, 2-1 MEC) over Frostburg State University (8-8, 0-2 MEC) on Friday evening. With the win, head coach Erica Kostelac picked up win number one inside the Murphy Gym, as the Falcons start the season 1-0 on the home floor.
 
"From the moment we stepped into the gym to set up the nets the energy was there, and I am extremely proud of this group" exclaimed Kostelac postgame. "I have always heard about the home team advantage here [Murphy Gymnasium], so it was really great to see that today."
 
The Falcons used the energy to leap out to a 12-5 advantage in set one following four straight points from Diamond Baker, Sydney Bray, Jayme Zoeckler and Samantha Comer. Notre Dame kept their foot on the gas for the remainder of the frame, as a Bray kill and FSU attack error sealed the set, 25-16.
 
NDC jumped out the gates in set two by claiming a 6-3 lead on a trio of Bray kills, a pair of service aces and a Bobcat attack error. Frostburg State worked the score back to 11-11 until Notre Dame rattled off 12 of the next 15 points to take a commanding 23-14 advantage. Senior Kelsie Palmer tallied a kill, alongside an FSU service error to gift Notre Dame the frame, 25-17.
 
The third set started back-and-forth until NDC secured a 14-9 edge after a 6-1 run, highlighted by a pair of Zoeckler's season-high four aces. Frostburg State clawed the contest back to a two-point game (22-20 NDC), but the Falcons anchored down and punctuated the match with two Bray kills, aided by an FSU service error, allowing Notre Dame to sweep Frostburg State 25-22.
 
"Tonight's win gave us confidence," stated Zoeckler after the match. "We are going to go out against any team and we are going to have the momentum and readiness to beat anyone."
 
The Falcons were led offensively by Comer's game-high 14 kills on a career-high .480 attack percentage, the highest by any player (min. 20 att.) since Kelsie Palmer vs Malone on Sept. 2, 2022. Comer was joined by Bray's 12 kills on a career-high .429 attack percentage, as Notre Dame boasted a team attack percentage of .347 their most efficient mark since Sept. 28, 2019 vs. Frostburg State. Freshman Lilliana Mook added nine kills and a career-best .348 attack percentage.
 
Zoeckler set up the Falcons offensively with a game-high 37 assists, while tying for the game-high with 10 digs, her third consecutive match with a double-double (assists-digs) and fifth overall on the year.
 
Defensively, Zoeckler was joined by libero Kiley Kalina who also tallied a game-high 10 digs, as Lucy Smith tied a season-high nine digs, while Bray and Comer posted eight digs.
 
When asked about the offense, Comer mentioned, "The defenders on our team were passing very well allowing me to get in system and my setter set me in tempo today, and it worked out very well."
 
In comparing the two sides, Notre Dame generated 45 kills on a .347 attack percentage, to go with 42 assists, 48 digs, four blocks and 11 aces (ties a season-high). On the other hand, Frostburg State totaled 29 kills on a .147 attack percentage to go with 28 assists, 31 digs, two blocks and zero aces.
 
The Notre Dame College volleyball team will be back in action on Tuesday Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. when the Falcons travel to Fairmont State University.