University of Louisville
Notre Dame
Volleyball Falls 3-1 to Notre Dame
November 11, 2007 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 11, 2007
Jana Matiasovska's career-high 16 kills, two aces and three blocks were not enough as the University of Louisville volleyball team fell 3-1 in the final match of the regular season in a nationally televised match in Notre Dame, Ind.
The No. 17-ranked Cardinals ran into a determined Irish team that faced elimination from the BIG EAST tournament as well as being the final game for two outstanding seniors in Adrianna Stasiuk and Ashley Tarutis. The Cardinals as fell 30-28, 30-16, 25-30, 30-28. The Cardinals finish the regular season at 20-5 and 13-1 in BIG EAST play. The Irish improve to 13-12 and 9-5 in the league. Both teams proceed to the BIG EAST Tournament that begins next Friday at Marquette in Milwaukee.
"We knew coming in that this is a difficult place to play," said Leonid Yelin, U of L head coach. "They were fighting for their seniors and fighting to make sure no other team could bump them from the BIG EAST. They were inspired."
U of hit .227 to UND's .267 but held a slight blocking edge at 14-13. The Cardinals were aced five times, with Adrianna Stasiuk nailing three for the Irish. Lecia Brown ended up with nine blocks. The Irish were led by Megan Fesl's 21 kills. Svetlana Dukule added 15 kills and three blocks for the Cards and Justine Landi had 11 kills and a match-high 14 digs.
In the first game, Notre Dame used a 9-1 run in the first game to take a 12-6 lead on a kill by Serinity Phillips. Kristie Wetterer served for four straight points to get the Cards back in striking distance at 18-14. The Cardinals came back to tie at 27 on two straight kills by Jana Matiasovska and draw a UND timeout. The teams traded points until the Irish hit game point on a kill by Megan Fesl. Leonid Yelin used his second timeout to reset but a Cardinal hitting error tipped the game to the Irish, 30-28. The Cardinals had a better hitting percentage than UND at .333 to .288 but were unable to get their block going. The blocking was even with both teams recording two. Svetlana Dukule led all hitters with six kills, hitting .417 in the first frame.
In the second game, U of L built an 11-8 lead in the second game but a five-point run by Notre Dame put the Irish up 13-11. The Cardinals tied at 13 but the Irish held with two unanswered points leading into the media timeout. After the timeout, UND went on an 8-2 run and forced Yelin to call a timeout. The run worsened for the Cards, turning into a 15-2 route and a 30-16 loss. The Cardinals hit -.029 and were outblocked 5-1.
The Cardinals rallied after the break taking a 16-10 lead on two straight aces by Jana Matiasovska. UND scrambled but could get no closer than six, falling 30-23. The Cardinal block showed signs of life with a 5-2 edge and hit .267 led by Lecia Brown's four kills on four attacks and three blocks. Megan Fesl continued to be a problem for the U of L defense, recording seven kills on ten swings to lead the Irish.
Down 12-6, the Irish managed an eight point run in the fourth game ignited by three consecutive aces by Adrianna Stasiuk. The Cardinals came back to within one at 19-18 and Debbie Brown called a UND timeout. The Irish regrouped and ran out to a 26-23 lead before the Cardinals responded to come within one at 28-27 and force an Irish timeout. An Irish kill took it to match point but the Cardinals rallied and a kill by Phillips assured the Irish a berth in the BIG EAST
