Virginia Rallies for 3-2 Win over Notre Dame
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Box Score Oct. 25, 2014
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.-The Virginia volleyball team rallied from a 2-1 deficit for the second consecutive night to defeat Notre Dame, 25-23, 22-25, 15-25, 33-31 and 15-8, Saturday night (Oct. 25) at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers came from behind to defeat NC State, 3-2, Friday night.
The Cavaliers improved to 13-9 (6-3 ACC) on the season and 8-1 at home, while Notre Dame fell to 5-16 (2-8 ACC) on the season. The Fighting Irish led in hitting, .256-.224, kills, 72-59, and digs, 81-64, but UVa held Notre Dame to a -.095 hitting percentage in the final set to take the victory.
“I did not think we were particularly great in any one facet of the game and were not able to get in any rhythm,” UVa head coach Dennis Hohenshelt said. “In the fourth set, it was anyone’s game. We were fortunate to win, had all of the momentum going and were able to build off of it in the fifth.”
The fourth set saw the Fighting Irish fight off seven set points, while the Cavaliers fought off three of their own before a sophomore Haley Kole (Tallahassee, Fla.) kill gave UVa the 33-31 win. After falling behind 3-1 early in the fifth set, the Cavaliers earned seven points in a row to take an 8-3 advantage and never looked back, ending the match on a Kole kill, her 19th of the evening, to win 15-8.
Along with Kole’s 19 kills, junior Natalie Bausback (Carlsbad, Calif.) hit .458 with 13 kills and five blocks to lead the Cavaliers. Sophomore Jasmine Burton added 14 kils, while sophomores Lexi Riccolo (Wheaton, Ill.) and Karlie Suber (Mechanicsville, Va.) recorded 17 and 16 digs, respectively.
Down 21-20 in the first set, the Cavaliers earned three straight points on the way to a 25-23 win. Burton had six kills in the first set, while junior Manon Fuller (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Riccolo each added five digs.
In the second set, the two teams were tied at 20, but the Fighting Irish recorded five of the last seven points to win, 25-22. Notre Dame hit .375 and held UVa to a .000 hitting percentage in the third, winning 25-15.
Nicole Smith recorded a match-high 20 kills to lead the Fighting Irish.
Up next, the Cavaliers travel to Clemson and Louisville next weekend. UVa plays the Tigers on Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. and the Cardinals on Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.