Match game Pa.
NDC splits again in 10 set-Saturday

CLARION, Pa. – Day-two of the Clarion Invitational brought another two-match split for NDC, as the Falcons lost to Tiffin and defeated Holy Family (PA). Each match went five sets; Tiffin knocked off NDC, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-10; NDC got the best of Holy Family, 25-14, 23-25, 17-25, 25-20, 15-10.

The split runs Notre Dame's season record to 4-4. The Falcons have four days (two matches per day) under their belt this season - they have gone 1-1 each day.

In the Tiffin match, Notre Dame battled back to win the second and fourth sets after losing the first and third.  The Dragons took the fifth-and-deciding set, 15-10. 

Sophomore hitter Katie Barbis (Mentor, OH) posted 12 kills and 17 digs in the match.  Jessica Parks (Jr/Mesquite, TX) also had 12 kills; she led NDC in service aces, with five.  Freshman Kari Kincannon (LaGrange, OH) had 12 kills and hit .478.  As a team, the Falcons were out-hit, .293 to .224.

Against Holy Family, NDC hit .286 in picking up the win in five sets.  NDC collected 74 digs in the nightcap after finishing with 75 in the first match.  Freshman Rachel Schwartz (Sturgis, Mich.) led the Falcon back line with 17 digs against the Tigers.  Barbis had 18 kills.  Kincannon again hit .478 on the strength of 12 kills. NDC recorded 10 service aces and 16-1/2 blocks against Holy Family.

For the two matches combined, Kate Verhoff (Jr/Elyria, OH) had 75 assists. 
Notre Dame’s next match is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 3, when they travel to Painesville to take on the Lake Erie Storm.  The match will get underway at 7 p.m.


NOTES FROM THE NEST...

MEET THE TIGERS:  Holy Family University is an NCAA Division II institution located in Philadelphia.  The Tigers compete in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).   HFU won 18 matches a year ago, an increase of 12 wins over the six they posted in 2006.

KILL-CANNON:  Freshman swatter Kari Kincannon ranks second on the team in kills thus far in 2008.  She has 67 through 31 sets (2.16/set).  The Keystone High School (LaGrange, Ohio) product leads the team in attack percentage with a .309 mark.

BLOCK-NDC:  Through their first eight matches, Notre Dame has notched 2.90 blocks per set.  That’s up from the 1.72 figure the Falcons posted a year ago.  Kate Verhoff and Dana Sarver (Sr/Durand, IL) lead the squad, with 23 total blocks each.