SOUTH BEND, IND. – After splitting last weekend’s Catholic Challenge to open the season, the Notre Dame volleyball team returns to the court Friday evening when the Irish host Illinois. Both teams are 1-1 on the season.
Notre Dame won last Friday’s season opener in five sets against Santa Clara. The Irish came back from a fifth set deficit to secure the victory. Morgan Gaerte notched a career-high 21 kills, while Maya Evens logged 25 digs in her collegiate debut. Both players were named to the Catholic Challenge All-Tournament team following Sunday’s match against Villanova.
Illinois opened up the 2025 season in Cedar Falls Iowa, dropping to South Dakota State in four sets before taking down Vanderbilt in Nashville 3-1. The Illini have hit .264 on attacks so far this season.
Friday’s match is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. It’s the third of a four-game homestand to open up the season for the Irish.
HISTORY VS. ILLINOIS
- This is the eighth meeting between the Irish and the Illini with Illinois leading the overall series 5-2. However, Notre has won the last two meetings, including a 3-0 sweep in 2023 at the Irish Invitational.
- The 2023 matchup was the first one in nearly 30 years, dating back to 1993. The Irish swept the Illini in 2023 25-21, 25-19, 25-22.
IT’S A BLOCK PARTY IN SOUTH BEND
- Notre Dame recorded 32.0 blocks combined during the first two games of the season, the most in the rally scoring era (2008).
- The Irish opened up with 19.0 blocks in the win over Santa Clara and 13.0 against Villanova. The 19.0 blocks is a single-game record in the rally scoring era for the Irish
- MB Grace Langer tallied a career-best 11.0 in the win over Santa Clara and 6.0 against Villanova. Her 17.0 total blocks this season are the second-most in the ACC so far this year
FRESH FACES
- The Irish welcome five freshmen to the team, bringing the Irish to a roster size of 20.
- The freshman class consists of Maya Baker (S), Maya Evens (DS/L), Mae Kordas (OH/O), Chichi Nnaji (OH), Sophia Thornburg (OH).
- Baker, who was a two-time Max Preps All-American, leads the team with 42 assists and is second on the team with 22 digs so far in 2025.
- The Irish pair a duo of former high school teammates in the incoming freshman class. Maya Evens and Mae Kordas both played together at Cathedral Catholic High School in Carlsbad, California. The duo was part of two Open State Championships (2022, 2024).
- Evens started…