SOUTH BEND, IND. – In its second-straight five-set match to begin the 2025 season, the Notre Dame volleyball team dropped a heartbreaker, 3-2, to Villanova. The Irish are now 1-1 on the year.
Morgan Gaerte, coming off 21 kills Friday night, posted 20 more Sunday, her first two career games with 20 or more kills. The 2025 Preseason All-ACC selection added three blocks and two service aces to her stat line this afternoon and was named to the All-Tournament team.
Lucy Trump collected 12 kills on a .550 hitting percentage clip, half of those coming in the third set victory for Notre Dame.
Both Irish setters posted double-doubles during the match Sunday. Harmony Sample dished out 22 assists with 10 digs while Maya Baker registered 21 assists and 13 digs in her second collegiate game.
The other pair of freshmen, Chichi Nnaji and Maya Evens, also continued to show glimpses during the early portion of their careers. Nnaji recorded nine kills and a team-high seven blocks while Evens anchored the backline with 23 digs and six assists. Evens was named to the All-Tournament team.
Sydney Helmers recorded eight kills in her second game with Notre Dame, while Anna Bjork had six kills and four blocks. Grace Langer added six more blocks today, giving her 17 already through two games.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Notre Dame, like it did Friday, jumped out to a quick start Sunday, gaining a 6-3 advantage early against Villanova. The two teams traded kills and service errors as the opening set was tied up at 15.
Down 23-22 in the set, the Irish leaned on Gaerte, who tied the game with her sixth kill of the opening set before a service ace put Notre Dame on set point. The Irish went on to win the set 27-25 and take an early 1-0 match lead.
Both teams continued exchanging blows in the second set but the Wildcats went on a 4-2 run to take a 15-12 into the media timeout. Villanova closed the set on a 10-4 run to even the match at one apiece.
The Irish got it rolling in the third set. Lucy Trump recorded back-to-back to extend the Notre Dame lead 13-7 and force a Villanova timeout. Trump recorded six kills in the set, leading the Irish to a 25-20 third set victory and a 2-1 advantage in the match.
Notre Dame continued to roll in the fourth set. The Irish jumped out to a 15-10 lead at the media timeout behind a combination of kills and blocks from the front line. With Notre Dame up 23-18, a successful challenge by the Wildcats turned the tide for Villanova, who went on an…