Irish seek Big East title at Joyce Center
By RACHAEL PROTZMAN
Sports Writer
Notre Dame volleyball looks to earn its fifth Big East title this weekend as it plays in the conference tournament held at the Joyce Center.
The No. 20 Irish (23-5) have gone undefeated at 11-0 in regular season league play to earn the top seed for this weekend's tournament. Notre Dame will face No. 4 Connecticut on Saturday at 1 p.m. and with a win will advance to Sunday's match against the winner of No. 2 Rutgers and No. 3 Pittsburgh.
Since 1995 Notre Dame has earned a .909 winning percentage in the Big East tournament, with 10 wins and just one loss to earn four titles.
"For each match that we play, we have to do different things. Against some of the teams, we have to block and defend against the middle a little bit better. For some of the other teams, we need to block and defend against the outside a little better. So, we're just trying to sharpen some things before the championships. I think it will be good. I think we'll be ready for it," head coach Debbie Brown said.
Connecticut is 18-11 on the season with a 7-4 record in the Big East. The Irish hold a 6-1 lead in the all-time series with the Huskies. Notre Dame was able to edge Connecticut in a five-game battle (15-11, 11-15, 15-5, 13-15, 16-14) in their last meeting on Oct. 29. Senior Christi Girton racked up 31 kills to post her career-high while junior Marcie Bomhack added 19 kills and 13 digs.
Junior Kristy Kreher totaled 21 kills and nine digs in the match, while senior Denise Boylan had 69 assists to aid the Irish. Sophomore Janie Alderete posted a career-high 18 digs to help Notre Dame defense.
Rutgers, 22-6 overall and 9-2 in the conference, has yet to win a match against the Irish. Notre Dame swept the Scarlet Knights in three games (15-6, 15-10, 15-13) on Oct. 20. Kreher led the Irish with 14 kills, 15 digs and five blocks while Boylan added 43 assists, 11 digs and three blocks.
Pittsburgh finished its regular season at 22-9 and went 8-3 in the Big East.
The Irish lead the series against the Panthers at 14-3. Notre Dame earned the 2000 win on Oct. 8 (15-9, 10-15, 16-14, 16-14). Girton led the match with a career-high 30 kills while Kreher added 22 kills, 10 digs and eight blocks.
Bomhack racked up 19 kills and 19 digs to aid the Irish. Boylan totaled 86
assists for a new school record while adding 10 digs.
Notre Dame is coming off a four-game win (15-13, 13-15, 15-5, 15-3) against Syracuse last weekend. Girton led the match with 20 kills, eight blocks and five digs while Kreher added 18 kills and nine digs. Bomhack racked up 14 kills and 12 digs to aid the Irish.
Throughout the season, the Irish have had three players named as conference players of the week. Bomhack, the most recent, was named Big East player of the week for the week of Nov. 6 following her stellar performance in Notre Dame's wins against Boston College, North Carolina and Providence.
Boylan won the honors during the week of Sept. 4, while Girton was a double-winner on Sept. 25 and Oct. 2.
The Irish are set to play Connecticut in round one action at 1 p.m. on Saturday, while Rutgers will face Pittsburgh at 3:30 p.m.
All Sports Stories for Friday, November 17, 2000
