Indiana University
Notre Dame
Hoosier Defense Stymies Notre Dame
9/22/2024 4:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana Volleyball team (7-3) ended the non-conference slate on a high note, pushing past visiting Notre Dame (7-2) in four sets (23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-22) on Sunday (Sept. 22) afternoon in Wilkinson Hall. A crowd of 1,847 was on hand as the Hoosiers picked up their seventh win of the season.
Following a disappointing performance against Notre Dame on Friday night, IU adjusted well to halt a high-flying Fighting Irish attack. IU dropped a tight opening set but was in control the rest of the way. Senior setter Camryn Haworth, who had 39 assists, 14 digs and two aces, went on an 8-0 run from the service line to force an eventual match point in set four.
IU's intensity was the best it has been all season on defense. The Hoosiers racked up 55 digs and matched a season high with 13 blocks. From the end line, IU pushed Notre Dame out of system with regularity. There were just six service aces from the hosts but Notre Dame committed 14 unforced attacking errors to help IU to the win.
A rugged offensive battle saw juniors Avry Tatum (.333, 15-5-30) and Candela Alonso-Corcelles (.194, 14-7-36) combine for 29 of IU's 48 kills. Sophomore middle blocker Ava Vickers came off the bench to supply an important six kills and six blocks. Alonso-Corcelles was outstanding in serve-receive as well. She was targeted 29 times while committing zero errors.
Senior outside hitter Mady Saris was held in check offensively but responded with a career-high six blocks. She and Vickers denied Notre Dame's Lucy Trump on three different occasions. Three of Notre Dame's four pins hit negative with the team swinging just .093 (39-27-129) collectively.
The Hoosiers are now 5-0 at Wilkinson Hall this season, extending a perfect home start to the campaign. Attention turns to the beginning of Big Ten play next weekend as IU travels out to the west coast to face conference newcomers, Washington and Oregon.
Set Breakdown
Set 1: Notre Dame 25, Indiana 23
The Hoosiers struggled to get into the match offensively, committing eight attacking errors to their eight kills in the first game. IU had three service aces and contributed three blocks but 14 kills from the Fighting Irish helped the visitors to the opening set. Avry Tatum led the way with five kills for IU.
• Much like Friday, IU got behind the eight ball offensively and found itself in an early hole. A pair of errors from Tatum and Candela Alonso-Corcelles, followed by a kill from Notre Dame's Anna Bjork, forced head coach Steve Aird into an early timeout down four points (3-7).
• The Hoosiers tied the opening set at 12-all following a double block from Alonso-Corcelles and Madi Sell. The two teams also had ties at 13-all, 15-all and as late as 18-all on a double stuff from Camryn Haworth and Ella Boersema.
• Following the tie at 18-all, Notre Dame went on a 7-2 run to earn its first set point. Haworth fended off three of those points from the service line but Notre Dame freshman Morgan Gaerte terminated on the final point of the frame.
Set 2: Indiana 25, Notre Dame 14
IU played as impressive of a set defensively as it had all year in the second game. Notre Dame was held well below zero offensively (-.121, 5-9-33), recording just five kills in the set. The Hoosiers had five blocks in the set but also did a good job of putting pressure on the visitors from the end line. Alonso-Corcelles had four kills while Haworth distributed 11 assists.
• IU took an early 10-7 lead following the double block from Haworth and substitute Ava Vickers. Out of the break, Madi Sell served an ace as the Hoosiers went up four points.
• The advantage jumped out to eight points after a 4-0 run from IU. Vickers and Alonso-Corcelles each had kills before a double block out of the timeout took the lead to 17-9.
• Alonso-Corcelles put pressure on Notre Dame from the service line down the stretch in game two. She forced the Fighting Irish into four-straight attacking errors, three of those IU blocks, to open an 11-point lead. Mady Saris had the final kill on a net violation from Bjork.
Set 3: Indiana 25, Notre Dame 20
IU's best offensive game of the afternoon came in the third set. Tatum had five kills on seven errorless swings while Alonso-Corcelles terminated on six kills. As a team, IU hit .323 (16-6-31) with 14 assists from Haworth. The Hoosiers sided out at 80 percent (17-21) in the third set, the highest rate of any game on Sunday.
• IU took the reins of a tight third set, forcing Gaerte into back-to-back attacking errors on out of system balls to go up 12-9. Poorly handled receptions off the serve of Haworth caused problems for Notre Dame throughout the match.
• Alonso-Corcelles terminated on a kill to go up 15-12 before the media timeout. Following the break, the Hoosiers scored three-consecutive points. Alonso-Corcelles had another pair of kills to take a massive 18-12 advantage.
• Tatum took over down the stretch as the Hoosiers closed out game three. She had IU's final three kills, using her powerful right arm to help the home team to the match advantage. Notre Dame's service error closed the set.
Set 4: Indiana 25, Notre Dame 22
It looked another five-set match for IU on Sunday afternoon, but Haworth took full control from the service line to spark an incredible comeback. Saris came up clutch with three kills and three blocks. Ramsey Gary had seven digs as IU's defensive intensity picked up.
• Phyona Schrader, who thrives as both a setter and attacker, had a pair of kills to end long rallies. That opened a 13-10 lead for the visitors and prompted an early timeout for Aird.
• Notre Dame took a 21-16 lead before Haworth went back to the service line. From there, it was all Hoosiers. The senior captain served IU on an 8-0 run, featuring an ace, to bring up a match point at 24-21. The Fighting Irish staved off one point but recorded a service error right after to give IU the match.
Top Hoosier Performers
#13 Tatum, Avry
15 kills, .333 hitting percentage, 5 digs
#10 Haworth, Camryn
39 assists, 14 digs, 2 blocks, 2 kills
#3 Alonso-Corcelles
14 kills, 14 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace
Notes to Know
• IU finishes the non-conference slate at 7-3, going a perfect 5-0 at Wilkinson Hall in the opening 10 contests. Over the past two seasons, the Hoosiers are 17-6 in the non-conference with a pair of wins over ACC teams.
• Following an uncharacteristic offensive night, Avry Tatum returned to her usual ways with 15 kills at a .333 hitting percentage. In 10 non-conference contests, she averaged 3.26 kills per set and 12.4 kills per match. She's hitting .354 on the season while committing just 39 errors.
• The Hoosiers combined for 23 blocks in two matches against Notre Dame. IU has gone for double-digit blocks in three-straight matches for the first time since opening the 2021 season with four-consecutive 10+ block efforts.
• Mady Saris had a career-best six blocks, helping IU defensively despite a slow offensive night. She previously had five blocks in a match against Western Kentucky in 2022. One of those six blocks was a solo denial.
• Candela Alonso-Corcelles (14 kills, 14 digs) and Camryn Haworth (39 assists, 14 digs) each recorded double-doubles in the win over Notre Dame. For Alonso-Corcelles, it was the 10th of her career. It was the 26th in the career of IU's senior setter.
