Notre Dame volleyball has started a season with a 6-1 record twice within the past decade. The Irish did so in 2017 and 2020. Within the past decade, Notre Dame volleyball has reached the NCAA Tournament in two seasons. Which ones? 2017 and 2020.
The 2024 Irish are off to a 6-1 start once again, bringing a four-game win streak into this weekend’s home-and-home series with Indiana. Notre Dame enjoyed a successful two-game stint at Compton Family Ice Arena last weekend, defeating Colorado State and Northwestern inside the rink’s confines. For this weekend, the Irish will head back to their traditional home — Purcell Pavilion — to begin their final non-conference week of the season.
Schrader setting the court on fire
Only five players in the entire country have three or more triple doubles at this point in the volleyball season. Phyona Schrader, Notre Dame’s senior setter is one of them. In fact, she is the only player in the ACC with a triple double this year — and she has three.
The multidimensional Irish weapon began her rampage two Sundays ago against Mississippi State, willing Notre Dame to a five-set win with a 22.5-point triple double that featured a career-high 18 kills. Schrader then passed that high watermark with 21 kills in yet another 22.5-point triple double last Thursday at Northwestern. A season high of 28 assists headlined a third straight Schrader triple double in the home opener before she fell just short with 12 kills, 16 assists and 7 digs last Saturday.
On Monday, the ACC bestowed upon Schrader its Setter of the Week award, recognizing her brilliance amidst Notre Dame’s hot streak. The stat sheet-stuffing setter currently ranks top-three among Irish players in hitting percentage (.389) and top-two in kills per set (3.33), assists per set (5.04) and digs per set (2.93). Her service aces per set (0.56) and scoring total of 116.5 leads the team outright.
Hoosiers come in on a winning streak of their own
Indiana has won six games up to this point in 2024, the same as Notre Dame. The Hoosiers are 6-2 and on a three-game win streak after taking consecutive losses to top-ranked Texas and Miami (FL) two weeks ago. Most recently, Indiana played three matches in two days at home in Bloomington, defeating Chicago State (3-1), Southern Indiana (3-0) and Ball State (3-2). Unlike Notre Dame, which has knocked off Mississippi State and Northwestern, the Hoosiers have not yet beaten an opponent from a power conference this season.
Former Cincinnati transfer Avry Tatum stars for a Hoosier attack that ranks inside the nation’s top 35 with a .266 hitting percentage. Notre Dame, for what it’s worth, also ranks inside the top 45 nationally. Tatum leads Indiana with 3.35 kills per set and a .387 hitting percentage after carrying the Hoosiers to their five-set takedown of Ball State with a career-high 25 kills. Her offensive supporting cast begins with Candela Alonso-Corcelles, who owns a solid 3.07 kills per set and 11 service aces, and Mady Saris, a more efficient swinger with 2.65 kills per set at a .270 hitting clip.
The young but highly-acclaimed Ramsey Gary will handle most of Indiana’s receptions. Gary, an All-Big Ten Second Team and Freshman Team selection in 2023, leads the Hoosiers with 3.94 digs per set. Look for the combination of freshman Ella Boersema (1.04 blocks per set), Missouri transfer Madi Sell (0.86 per set) and Camryn Haworth (0.68 per set) to challenge Notre Dame at the net.
Despite their positions as in-state foes, Notre Dame and Indiana have not met on the volleyball court since 2003. Overall, the Irish are 7-4 against the Hoosiers and have won five of the last six matchups.
Notre Dame and Indiana will first square off at Purcell Pavilion on Friday at 6:30 p.m. before heading to Bloomington for a 1 p.m. start on Sunday afternoon.
