VILLANOVA, Penn. – The Irish are back on the road this weekend as they compete in the 2023 Catholic Challenge hosted at Villanova. Notre Dame enters the tournament 1-1 as they face the Villanova Wildcats (3-1) on Friday, September 1 and the Santa Clara Broncos (4-0) on Saturday, September 2.
NOTRE DAME vs. VILLANOVA
Location: Villanova, PA | Jake Nevin Field House
TV: FloSports
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDvolleyball
NOTRE DAME vs. SANTA CLARA
Location: Villanova, PA | Jake Nevin Field House
TV: FloSports
Live Stats: Click Here
Twitter Updates: @NDvolleyball
A WEEK IN REVIEW
- Notre Dame volleyball opened up the 2023 season with a win on the road as they competed in the Under Armour Challenge, taking down the Wichita State Shockers on Friday, August 25.
- The Irish defeated the shockers in a five-set thriller (25-18, 20-25, 18-25, 25-23, 15-12) to start the season 1-0.
- Notre Dame was led by junior Sydney Palazzolo, the 2022 Big South Player of the Year, who made her debut in an Irish uniform against WSU. The outside hitter tallied a team-high 24 kills, a .254 hitting percentage, 12 digs, and three blocks.
- Freshman Ava Lange made her freshman debut and first start at Notre Dame, recording 13 kills and five digs.
- Graduate transfer Nicole Drewnick also dished out 54 assists and tallied 12 digs in her first Irish game day.
- Senior middle blockers Lauren Tarnoff and Charity McDowell finished with eight kills and seven kills, respectively, while Tarnoff also defended the net with a team-high four blocks.
- The Irish took on Texas Tech in day two of the tournament, falling in four sets (19-25, 17-25, 25-14, 17-25) to the Red Raiders.
- Sydney Palazzolo and Lucy Trump led the offensive charge with 15 kills and 14 kills respectively. Lauren Tarnoff finished with a team-best seven blocks and chipped in five kills. Nicole Drewnick dished out 40 assists and tallied five blocks for the Irish and libero Hattie Monson recorded 22 digs.
- Palazzolo finished the weekend 39 kills and 17 digs, earning a spot on the Under Armour Challenge All-Tournament Team.
HISTORY VS. VILLANOVA
- This will be the 24th meeting between the Irish and the Wildcats with Notre Dame leading the overall series 19-4.
- The last match up between the two squads was September 12, 2021 on the road as the Irish fell in five (16-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-23, 9-15).
- Notre Dame won the previous match up before the loss in 2021 as the two faced off almost ten years prior on October 21,…