EVANSTON, Ill. – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are back in action this week as they compete against Northwestern for their last road match before opening up in South Bend this weekend.
The Irish will take on Colorado State and Northwestern on Friday and Saturday in the Volleyball On Ice event at Compton Family Ice Arena.
Last weekend, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish advanced to 3-1 on the season after defeating Mississippi State on Sunday, September 8 in the StarkVegas Classic. After falling to Michigan in four sets the night before, the Irish ended the weekend with a big five-set win over the SEC opponent and StarkVegas Classic host, Mississippi State. Phyona Schrader had a stellar performance in the win over Mississippi State. She finished with a triple-double (the only player in the ACC so far to record one) of 18 kills, 25 assists, and 14 digs, also recording a .375 hitting percentage, 4 blocks, and 2 service aces.
NOTRE DAME vs. NORTHWESTERN – Thursday, September 11 at 8 PM ET (7 PM CT)
Location: Evanston, Ill. | Welsh-Ryan Arena
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HISTORY VS. NORTHWESTERN
- This will be the 13th meeting between the Irish and the Wildcats with Notre Dame leading the overall series 8-4. Notre Dame has won the last four matches against Northwestern.
- The last match up between the two squads was nearly 20 years ago as they last played on December 2, 2005 (30-27, 32-30, 30-28).
FRESH FACES
- Notre Dame’s incoming freshman class ranked 13th in the nation according to Prep Dig.
- The Irish welcome six freshman to the team, bringing the Irish to a roster size of 22 – Rockwell’s largest roster since starting in 2022.
- The freshman class consists of Grace Langer (MB), Anna Bjork (MB), Kailyn Greene- Gordon (OPP), Mia Radeff (OH), Morgan Gaerte (OH), and Mallory Bohl (MB).
- Gaerte was the number one recruit coming out of Indiana, hailing from Angola High School, just a little over an hour from South Bend.
- Notre Dame also welcomes setter Ella Sandt to the 2024 squad, a graduate transfer from Saint Mary’s.
KEY RETURNERS
- The Irish return five rising sophomores, six rising juniors, a pair of rising seniors, and a pair of graduate students.
- Notre Dame’s two graduate students, Hattie Monson and Lauren Tarnoff, are each using their fifth and final seasons to finish their careers at ND. Monson led the Irish with 397 digs last season, while Tarnoff was second on the team last season in blocks (84).
- Senior…