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Notre Dame Advances To DII-A State Volleyball Quarterfinals

Lady Irish To Host Match On Saturday, 10/14

  • Sunday, October 8, 2023
  • Staff Report
Notre Dame travelled to Knoxville Saturday for the II-A East Regional tournament. The Irish are having another good season, arriving with a 30-6 record and as undefeated District Champions. 

In the first round at region, Notre Dame would faced a familiar foe in Concord in the first round. The Irish and the Lions have faced off in 5 of the last 6 region tournaments, with Notre Dame holding a 4-1 edge in usually extremely tight matches. Saturday's affair would be no different. 

The first set saw Concord storm out to a 6-1 lead, with 3 aces.
The Notre Dame squad appeared tight, but and accidental dig/kill off of junior Sam Brown's head seemed to break the tension and help the Irish start the comeback. The middle of set one was highlighted by the play of junior middle blocker Violet Wright. A basketball only athlete for the first two years of high school, Violet has given volleyball a try this year and was unstoppable on offense in the first set. Her fourth kill of the set knotted the score at 20-20. The teams would battle point for point into extra-time and Concord would prevail 28-26.

The second set would be more of the same. Neither team could gain firm control and the lead was passed back and forth like a hot potato. Two kills by freshman Addison Kitchings kept Notre Dame with the advantage late and the Irish had just enough to take the second set 25-23. 

The last two sets were hard fought, but Notre Dame seemed to have control for most of the play. Led by their outside hitters, especially junior Scarlett Hughes (11 kills) and junior setter Sarah Dobson (18 assists), the Irish finished off the match with 25-19 and 25-20 sets. The win set up a region championship game versus Lakeway Christian Academy, which had dispatched a game Boyd Buchanan squad in the other semi-final.

The Lakeway Lions entered the match with a 25-2 record, sporting their own district championship. Led by sophomore outside hitter Darby Felts, Lakeway would build a commanding 17-10 lead in set one. But just like in the first match, Notre Dame would battle back. Led by a huge serving run by Savannah Scarboro that included 2 aces, the Irish would complete this comeback and win the first set 25-23. 

The second set saw Notre Dame maintain momentum, with Sam Brown taking control on offense (18 kills) and rightsides Callie McCormick (9 digs) and Caimen Cothron (10 digs) controlling the defensive side of the ball. Notre Dame seemed to be in total control by the time the set ended with a 25-16 score giving the Irish a 2-0 lead. 

Coming out in set 3, Lakeway completely flipped the script. Dominating on serve and getting 6 kills in the set from Felts, The Lions easily won the set 25-15. Set number four was more of the same and the score was a carbon copy (25-16) with Lakeway evening the match at two games a piece. 

It came down to a fifth set to determine the region championship. With the wild momentum swings that had already occurred in the first four sets, it was anyone's guess as to how the last set would play out. As it turned out, it was Notre Dames turn to dominate. A four point serving run and a big dig by libero Maggie Fillauer (27 digs) would stake Notre Dame to a 5-1 lead. A string of assists by senior setter Maggie Clotfelter (34 assists), including three to Region MVP junior Sam Brown (18 kills), would lead to set point. On set point, all Notre Dame had to do was watch an errant swing by the Lakeway Lions sail long to secure their third region title in four years by a 15-6 margin.

Making the All-Region team for Notre Dame was Violet Wright, Scarlett Hughes, Maggie Fillauer and MVP Sam Brown. They were joined on the team by Isabella Messer from Boyd Buchanan. 

Notre Dame earned a bye into the state quarter-finals with the win.  The Irish will face the winner of Middle Tennessee Christian and Tipton-Rosemark on Saturday at Notre Dame. Notre Dame will be playing for their third trip to the Final Four in the last four years.

Notre Dame stats for match vs Concord
26-28, 25-23, 25-19, 25-20
Sam Brown 20 kills, 7 digs, 1 block, 2 assist, 2 aces
Scarlett Hughes: 11 kills, 1 dig, 1 block
Violet Wright: 8 kills, 2 digs, 1 block, 1 assist
Addison Kitchings: 3 kills, 1 dig
Caimen Cothron: 4 kills, 9 digs, 1 ace
Callie McCormick: 6 kills, 18 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace
Maggie Fillauer: 29 digs, 2 assists, 2 aces
Maggie Clotfelter: 24 assists, 5 digs, 2 aces
Sarah Dobson: 18 assists, 2 digs
Savannah Scarboro: 1 dig, 1 ace

Notre Dame stats for match vs Lakeway
25-23, 25-16, 15-25, 15-25, 15-6
Sam Brown 18 kills, 6 digs, 3 block, 3 aces
Scarlett Hughes: 12 kills, 4 dig, 2 block
Violet Wright: 2 kills, 2 block
Caimen Cothron: 5 kills, 10 digs, 2 ace
Callie McCormick: 9 kills, 9 digs
Maggie Fillauer: 27 digs, 1 kill, 1 assist, 1 ace
Maggie Clotfelter: 34 assists, 4 digs, 2 aces
Sarah Dobson: 10 assists
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