Cardinals Drop Opener to Notre Dame

Friday, September 25

LOUISVILLE, KY

2:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

0-1,0-1ACC

Notre Dame

1-0,1-0ACC

Notre Dame

Louisville

September 25, 2020 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Jones, Stevenson, and Chaussee each record 10+ kills for the Cardinals.

By: Chandler Brandes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Aiko Jones led the University of Louisville volleyball team with 13 kills while setter Tori Dilfer added a team-high 37 assists, but it was not enough as Notre Dame topped the Cardinals 27-25, 25-22, and 26-24 on Friday afternoon at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.

Louisville hit .181 with seven blocks in the season and ACC opener. Anna Stevenson and Claire Chaussee tallied 12 and 10 kills, respectively, with Alexis Hamilton leading the team with 23 digs. Notre Dame hit .205 behind 11 kills from Charley Niego and notched seven service aces led by Hattie Monson's three.

Louisville got off to a hot start, taking a commanding 13-7 lead after three kills from Jones. A service ace from Anna Stevenson gave the Cardinals their largest lead of the match at 15-7 while Tori Dilfer added 10 assists in the opening set. But UofL could not withstand a late surge from the Fighting Irish as Notre Dame claimed the first set, 27-25.

Notre Dame jumped out to an early lead in the second set, but back-to-back kills from Stevenson and freshman Anna DeBeer cut the Fighting Irish's lead in half. From there, UofL regained control and a pair of kills from Stevenson put the Cardinals within two. It was back-and-forth between the Cardinals and the Fighting Irish for the remainder of the set, but Caroline Meuth's fourth kill sealed set two for Notre Dame, 25-22.

Notre Dame had five unanswered points early in the third set, but the Cardinals bounced back with a 5-1 run behind a trio of kills from DeBeer. UofL continued to chip away at the deficit, and a block and two kills from Chaussee gave UofL a two-point advantage. But despite a strong rally from the Cardinals, Notre Dame made it a sweep, taking the third set, 26-24.

The Cardinals (0-1) will face the Fighting Irish (1-0) again on Saturday, Sept. 26 at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena for a 4:00 p.m. match.