The Virginia volleyball team kicked off a four-match home stand with a four-set win over Notre Dame Friday night at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers (14-7, 6-4 ACC) — who played all over the map to start the season, and rarely at home — then fell to ACC co-leader Louisville in straight sets.
Junior outside hitter Haley Kole starred for Virginia against scuffling Notre Dame (6-16, 1-9 ACC), picking up a match-high 17 kills to go with five digs and five blocks. Senior middle hitter Natalie Bausback was right there with her, registering a team-high six blocks while racking up a 15-kill, 10-dig double-double.
Senior setter Lauren Fuller paced the Cavaliers in assists and aces with 47 and five, respectively. Meanwhile, junior defensive specialists Lexi Riccolo and Karlie Suber anchored the back line, combining for 28 digs.
The Cavaliers dropped the opening set, 19-25, but edged Notre Dame in the second before taking the third and fourth sets, 25-11 and 25-16.
Saturday against No. 24 Louisville (16-4, 10-0 ACC) — one of two ACC teams still undefeated in conference play, along with No. 15 Florida State — Virginia took its first home loss of the season, falling to 6-1 in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers and Cardinals split the first 34 points in both the first and third sets, but in both cases the visitors then pulled away.
Junior outside hitter/middle blocker Janelle Jenkins was all over the court for Louisville, tallying a match-high 12 kills in addition to five digs and two of her team’s eight aces. The Cardinals as a team attacked efficiently, with .373 attack percentage that easily outstripped Virginia’s .189.
Kole and fellow junior outside hitter Jasmine Burton led the Cavaliers with nine kills apiece. Burton — an All-ACC Second Team member in 2014 and the ACC Freshman of the Year before that — did her damage on a team-best .350 attack percentage.
Virginia hosts Wake Forest (10-12, 2-8 ACC) and Duke (10-10, 5-5 ACC) this Friday and Saturday night. Both matches start at 7 p.m.
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