Virginia Downed by Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame (15-5, 8-2 ACC) used late runs in the first and second sets to build momentum in a 25-21, 25-18, 25-10 victory over Virginia (9-14, 1-9 ACC) on Sunday (Oct. 27).
 
Freshman Jayna Francis (Virginia Beach, Va.) led the Cavaliers with eight kills. She added four digs and a pair of blocks in the losing effort.
 
Notre Dame was paced by 11 kills from Charley Niego. Sydney Bent added another 10 terminations for the Irish.

SET 1: Notre Dame 25-21
After falling behind 10-6 in the early going, Virginia launched a 7-0 run to take a 13-10 lead. Milla Ciprian (St. John’s, Fla.) and Sarah Billiard (Matthews, N.C.) jumped for a pair of blocks in the big run. Notre Dame battled back with a 4-0 run of its own to tie the frame at 15-15.
 
Tied at 21-21 after trading points, Notre Dame used back-to-back kills to take a late lead. Following a UVA timeout, Notre Dame closed the frame thanks to two-straight kills from Bent.
 
SET 2: Notre Dame 25-18
In another tight set, Virginia erased a three-point deficit with a 3-0 run to tie the frame at 16-16. Mattison Matthews (Charleston, S.C.) provided the tying point with a kill.
 
With the set tied at 18, an attack error from Virginia was followed by a kill from Niego to give Notre Dame a 20-18 advantage. A Cavalier timeout could not stop the Irish momentum, as Notre Dame went on to build a 23-18 edge and force Virginia into its second timeout of the set. An ace and attack error capped a 7-0 run to finish the set for Notre Dame.
 
SET 3: Notre Dame 25-10
Two kills and a block from Bent sent Notre Dame to a 5-0 lead in the final frame. Notre Dame added to its hot start with four total blocks to build a 10-1 lead before Francis ended the run with a kill. The Cavaliers mounted a 5-0 run to close within 10-6 but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
 
A 5-0 run from the Irish extended the advantage to 17-7. Notre Dame would close the set on an 8-1 run to finish the sweep.
 
QUICK HITS
• Billiard finished the match with a season-best five blocks.
• Both Matthews and Ciprian added four blocks.

UP NEXT
Virginia returns home for a four-match homestand beginning Friday, Nov. 1 when the Cavaliers host Duke at 6:30 p.m.