NC State volleyball defeated Notre Dame 3-1 for the second time this season, improving to a winning record with its third road win of the season.
The Wolfpack (13-12, 7-8 ACC) was off to a slow start against the Fighting Irish (15-10, 9-6 ACC) in the first set, losing 24-14. The following three sets were close, but the Pack came out on top. The largest margin was the third set, 25-19. The second set was a close win for the Pack 25-21 and the Pack scraped by in the fourth set to avoid overtime 25-23.
Earlier this season when the Pack also defeated the Fighting Irish 3-1, senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan led the Pack with 18 kills, sophomore Melissa Evans had 17 and freshman Jade Parchment with 15. This game was more focused on two players, outside hitters Parchment and Evans.
Parchment carried the team offensively with a hitting percentage of .224 out of her 21 kills, a season high for her. Following in attacks was Evans with 10 kills.
During the first set, the Fighting Irish quickly took the lead from the Wolfpack 16-5. By the time the Pack started to pick up its pace, the Fighting Irish were at set point 24-14.
The Fighting Irish lost their early lead to the Pack, 13-11. The Pack never relented the lead released its hold for the rest of the set. A kill from junior middle blocker Lauryn Terry put the Pack further ahead 23-17. Sopitan’s kill brought the Pack to set point, 24-19.
The Wolfpack took a quick lead in the third set, 7-1. The Fighting Irish took a timeout after an attack from graduate middle blocker Kiera Moore, increasing the Pack’s lead by seven.
It proved to be useless as the Pack moved forward, 20-14. The Fighting Irish only got close when the Pack reached set point, 24-19.
The final set had the Fighting Irish leading throughout the entire set, the Pack only tying twice, 18-18 and 23-23.
Only after the second tie did the Pack overcome the Fighting Irish to score, completing a 5-0 run to take the set and the match.
The Pack only had nine more digs, four fewer errors and one more kill than the Fighting Irish throughout the course of four sets. Senior setter Kylie Pickrell had all but four of the Pack’s 51 assists. Senior libero Makenzie Kuchmaner led the Pack defensively with 32 digs.
The Wolfpack returns home for the rest of the season to take on UNC-Chapel Hill this Wednesday at 7 p.m.
