Falcons weather the Storm
NDC flies in straight sets over Lake Erie

PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- Notre Dame ran their record to 5-4 Wednesday, with a 3-0 (29-27, 25-15, 25-18) victory over Lake Erie.  After a taut first set in which the Storm hit 25 points first, the Falcons battled back and then dominated the two ensuing games.

Katie Barbis (SO/Mentor, OH) led Notre Dame with 15 kills and a .344 hitting percentage.  The NDC co-captain recorded a match-high 16.5 points and also contributed 11 digs.  Jessica Suvak (SO/Independence, OH) contributed 10 kills while hitting .533.  Freshman Kari Kincannon (LaGrange, OH) continued her sensational run with 10 kills and no errors in 13 attempts (.769 attack pct.).

Junior setter Kate Verhoff (Elyria, OH) notched 37 assists, which is a 3-set season-high for NDC.

For the match, Notre Dame outhit Lake Erie, .313 to .181. The Falcons struggled in the first, hitting .161. They rallied in the second and third sets, hitting .469 and .316, respectively.

"We did a nice job coming back in the first game," said head coach Mark Ridley. "From there we played better, and our front line performed well."

Junior Katie Yanesh (Wickliffe, OH) and freshman Michelle Naab (North Royalton, OH) each tallied six kills to lead LEC.

Notre Dame’s season will continue this weekend when the Falcons travel to Erie, Pa. to play in the two-day Penn State-Behrend Tournament Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6.  On Friday, NDC will take on SUNY-Fredonia (NY) and PSU-Behrend.  Their opening match, against Fredonia, is slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

NET RESULT: With Wednesday night's result, Notre Dame is now 3-2 this season in matches decided in three sets.  With their 5-4 overall record, the Falcons match their nine-match start from a year ago when the squad won a program-best 21 matches.

SMOOTH SAILING: With their 3-0 win over Lake Erie on Wednesday, the Falcons are now 5-0 all-time against the Storm.  All five of NDC’s victories have come in straight set shutouts. ... NDC is slated to play LEC one more time this season, when the Falcons host the Storm in their final regular season match of the season, on Nov. 4.

CANNON ON TARGET: Kari Kincannon came into Wednesday's match in Painesville, having recorded 36 kills and just three hitting errors over the Falcons last three matches (13 sets). Her 10-kill effort against the Storm gives the Keystone High School product a .510 hitting percentage over her last four matches. ... Kincannon is hitting .345 for the season, which leads the team. She has played in all 34 sets for the Falcons.