Notre Dame volleyball extended its winning streak to six over the weekend, dispatching ACC opponents Boston College and Syracuse.
The two wins came in contests of varying stress for the Irish. Against the Eagles, Notre Dame had to fight tooth and nail to earn a five-set victory. The Irish faced a 2-1 deficit on sets midway through the game but won the fourth set by a decisive 25-15 scoreline to force a deciding fifth. Notre Dame then carried the momentum over into the final set, winning 15-6.
Freshman outside hitter Ava Lange led the way for the Irish against Boston College, registering 17 kills on 47 attacks. It marked just the second time all season a player not named Sydney Palazzolo (had 15 kills of her own in the contest) led Notre Dame in kills in a given game.
The win was an important one for Notre Dame, who’s looking to improve on last year’s finish near the bottom of the ACC standings. The Eagles were a middle-of-the-pack squad in conference play last year but had started out 2023 hot. Boston College entered South Bend having not lost a set in eight matches.
Against Syracuse victory came considerably easier. The Irish did have some trouble in the first set, requiring an extra point to earn a 26-24 victory. After that initial struggle though, Notre Dame found its stride and took control. The Irish won the second set 25-9, closing matters out with a 10-0 run. Four of the points in that run came off aces from junior outside hitter Sydney Palazzolo.
Palazzolo and Notre Dame kept things rolling in the third set, winning 25-18 to close out a sweep victory. Junior setter Phyona Schrader notched four kills in the final set to help pace the Irish.
The victories give Notre Dame a solid foundation to build upon for its biggest test yet on Wednesday. The Irish will play host to Louisville, one of the best teams in college volleyball. The Cardinals are 11-1 and currently No. 5 in the country. While pulling an upset might be a little ambitious, merely winning a set would constitute improvement from 2022 when the Irish won none of their six total sets against Louisville and only came within four points of the Cardinals in two of those.
A win, though unlikely, would be a major statement for a Notre Dame squad that is yet to catch the attention of polls despite a strong 8-2 record. A large part of that lack of attention is the Irish’s strength of schedule. Notre Dame still hasn’t played a team that ranks inside the national top 25. Wednesday should give a good indication of whether the team’s record is the sign of an NCAA tournament team or simply one that’s been better than weak opposition.
Notre Dame volleyball will be back in action on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at Purcell Pavilion against No. 5 Louisville. First serve is set for 7 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
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