NC State volleyball returned from Friday’s loss against Louisville to claim victory against Notre Dame 3-1 at Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday.
The Wolfpack (7-5, 1-1 ACC) spent the entire first set trailing behind the Fighting Irish (7-5, 1-1 ACC) until the end when the Pack came from behind to take the first set 25-23. The second set was in the Pack’s control for the majority of the set and the team was able to take it 25-22. The third set was similar to the first set, but the Pack was unable to overcome the Fighting Irish and lost the set 25-22. The fourth set was a close match, but the Pack finished strong, 25-22.
“On Friday I think I was playing tentative,” senior middle blocker Teni Sopitan said. “I wasn’t taking hard swings. I was just trying to keep the ball in play. But today I was going for hands. I was swinging as high as I could. I was hitting as hard as I could.”
The first set was a close start that the Fighting Irish took control of. The only time in the beginning of the set that the Pack had the lead was after a tip from freshman outside hitter Jade Parchment to make it 3-2.
A service ace from senior libero Makenzie Kuchmaner and a kill from Sopitan tied the Pack up with the Fighting Irish at 8-8.
The Fighting Irish went on a five-point run to take an evident 16-11 lead. The run was put to a halt by an attack from Parchment.
A block and two kills from Sopitan brought the Pack right up behind Notre Dame at 18-17 and caused the Fighting Irish to call a timeout.
The Wolfpack finally took the lead away from the Fighting Irish when it pulled ahead 23-22.
A block from sophomore outside hitter Melissa Evans and junior middle blocker Lauryn Terry brought the Pack to set point, and a kill from Terry finished the first set, 25-23.
The second set began in a similar pattern as the first, but the Wolfpack recovered quicker this time and took the lead 10-9.
The Fighting Irish attempted to come from behind, but the Pack stopped anything more from happening as it continued to keep control of the set and pulled ahead with the lead with kills from Sopitan and graduate middle blocker Kiera Moore to make it 17-14.
This didn’t stop the Fighting Irish, as they went on a five-point run to catch up to the Wolfpack at 21-20.
Parchment had a kill that couldn’t have come at a better time to not only keep the lead at 22-20, but to stop Notre Dame’s momentum.
Parchment had 15 kills and only one error for an attack percentage of .326.
“I have a tendency of hitting cross over and over and eventually they’ll pick up on that like in the Louisville game they got me in like the last set,” Parchment said. “So I just decided to mix it up. Do some line, high hands and manage my swings.”
The Pack won the second set 25-22. With a 2-0 set advantage, the Pack entered the third set with the Fighting Irish taking a small lead at 8-6.
Two consecutive kills from the Wolfpack from Sopitan and Evans tied the Wolfpack again with the Fighting Irish 17-17.
The Wolfpack fell behind 21-18 and after its second time out, the Pack managed to close the gap 23-22, but the Fighting Irish were able to win the third set 25-22.
With neither team willing to give way, the two stayed hot on each other’s heels. Moore followed an attack with a tip to grab a 7-6 lead in the fourth set.
The Fighting Irish pulled away with the lead after successfully blocking Evans, going up 11-10. The Fighting Irish continued to lead the Pack up to 15-12.
A media timeout was called but it didn’t prepare the Wolfpack for Notre Dame’s attacks that increased its lead to 17-13.
The Wolfpack took a timeout to try and disrupt Notre Dame’s momentum, but it proved ineffective at first as the Fighting Irish continued to increase the gap 19-15.
An attack from Parchment brought the score to a two-point deficit at 21-19. Notre Dame was forced to call a timeout when the Wolfpack finally caught up to the Fighting Irish at 22-22.
The timeout didn’t slow the Pack down, as the Wolfpack finally took back the lead at 23-22 before a kill from Sopitan put the set to bed 25-22.
“We out-killed them by two,” coach Linda Hampton-Keith said. “But the most important part is we had six less hitting errors than they did. That difference alone wins you games.”
The Wolfpack also out-blocked the Fighting Irish by two and out-dug Notre Dame by nine digs.
The Pack will play against UNC-Chapel Hill this Wednesday at Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill at 6:30 p.m.
The volleyball team holds up wolfies during the game against Notre Dame on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 at Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack beat the Fighting Irish 3-1 for their first ACC win.
