CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-16, 4-14) fell in three sets (21-25, 22-25, 21-25) on the road to the Virginia Cavaliers (21-8, 11-7) on Sunday afternoon.
Phyona Schrader did it again as she recorded her twelfth triple-double of the season. The setter finished with 12 kills, 15 assists, and 11 digs. Sydney Palazzolo recorded 8 kills, followed by Avery Ross with 7 kills. Anna Bjork chipped in 6 kills, hitting .375 on the match, and recorded a team-best 5 blocks. Ella Sandt finished with 17 assists for the Irish.
Virginia posted an 8-2 lead to force an early timeout in the first set, but the Irish chipped away to bring it within two at 9-7. A kill followed by a solo block from Bjork sparked the Irish offense as they went on a 6-2 run to tie it up at 14-all. A Palazzolo kill and Sandt ace put the Irish in front 16-15 before another run from Virginia would put UVA in the lead 19-16. Notre Dame tied it up at 20-all, but Virginia would close it out on a 5-1 run to take set one 25-21.
It was a close start in the second set as Maisie Alexander’s second ace of the day tied it up at 9-all. The Irish trailed 15-12 at the media timeout, but a 4-1 Notre Dame run capped off by another Ross kill would force the UVA timeout with it tied at 16-16. Tied again at 18-all, the Irish were battling to take the set and while they brought it within two, Virginia won the second 25-22.
Tied at 9-all in set three, the 6-1 Cavaliers run put Virginia up 15-10 at the media timeout. The two squads would trade points until the Irish cut it to three at 20-17. It would go back and forth until the very end, but Virginia secured the win taking set three 25-21.
The Irish will take on Virginia Tech for the second time this season on Wednesday, Nov. 27 as they host the Hokies at Purcell Pavilion.