NC State women’s volleyball defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in three straight sets on Friday, Sept. 29. The Pack won the contest off a strong defensive showing, totalling 22 block assists over the course of the match.
Both teams started sloppy in the first set, committing their share of errors at nine apiece. The Wolfpack (12-2, 2-1 ACC) was able to pull it together when it mattered towards the end of the set, besting Notre Dame (8-4, 2-2 ACC) by a score of 25-18.
The Pack increased its margin of victory in the second set, with a 25-15 score, elevating its performance with two service aces and 14 kills, compared to 10 in the previous set. Although it may not be directly obvious from the lopsided final score, both teams played scrappy in this set, fighting for every point and putting on an entertaining performance for fans at Reynolds Coliseum. The red-and-white’s season-long, unfaltering drive and determination showed through in this set as it fought tooth and nail for every last point, refusing to give up on the play.
It wasn’t until set three that the Fighting Irish really gave the Wolfpack a run for its money — Notre Dame struck first and held the lead until the Pack took it back at 24-23 with a kill, courtesy of junior opposite hitter Amanda Rice. The Pack demonstrated its ability to battle back from behind, going down by as many as six points multiple times throughout the set before rallying to win the set — and with it, the match — at the 11th hour.
NC State was also plagued behind the service line, with the Pack giving the fighting Irish 10 free points due to service errors. Senior defensive specialist Skye Stokes kept the red-and-white in the game with two service aces, the only NC State player to contribute more than one throughout the game.
Junior Madison Williams led the team with 11 kills — three short of her season high of 14, which she put up against Utah Valley. Finishing with a .550 hitting percentage, she helped keep the Pack in the game offensively.
Sophomore outside hitter Courtney Bryant took the court for the first time this season and tallied seven kills, a service ace and five block assists. Despite not having a large amount of playing time, the Virginia native made an impact in her season debut and could become a new normal on the court for the Pack.
The Wolfpack will remain at home to take on another ACC powerhouse, as the Lousiville Cardinals come to Raleigh on Sunday, Oct. 1. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
